Yehudi Menuhin

First success and a Great Loss

As a result of his natural predisposition to music and a musical education as well, Menuhin had an almost fairy-tale rise to fame. At the age of 16 in 1932, Yehudi was invited to record the "Violin Concerto" with its great British composer Edward Elgar at the baton. However, the period during the 30s and 40s marked the loss of innocence because of all the horrors of the war. For it was Menuhin and his friend Britten who first entered the newly-liberated composed played to survivors.

Music was their first humanizing experience in terms of what he has achieved in art.
That experience, as well as the musical greats such as Bartok and Ravel he then came to know, contributed to his high level of accomplishment in conducting and composing. Besides the violin, Menuhin branched out into jazz and the Indian sitar, a musical instrument with seven strings which makes improvising easier. Menuhin founded the school for gifted students in Britain as a direct result of the importance of music to him while he was growing up.

A Legend in His Time

In spite of all this success, Menuhin has not changed. The sensitive artist, quick to see the good in others, openly states his opinions and beliefs in music as a social healer. His latest project MUS-E, i.e. Music-Europe has been developed in underprivileged schools because "with folk music, singing and dancing, mime, schools are restored".