born July 21, 1920, Kremenets, Ukraine, Russian Empire
died Sept. 22, 2001, New York, N.Y., U.S.
Ukrainian-born U.S. violinist.
His family came to the U.S. when he was an infant. He first performed with the San Francisco Symphony in 1936, and he made his New York City debut at age 17. After World War II, he began to tour extensively (including the Soviet Union in 1956). In 1960 he formed a famous trio with pianist Eugene Istomin (b. 1925) and cellist Leonard Rose (1918–84). He was instrumental in saving Carnegie Hall from demolition, helped establish the National Endowment for the Arts, and was a key presence in the musical life of Israel.