Origins & Early Life

Isaac Stern (July 21, 1920 – September 22, 2001) was an American violinist. Born in Poland, Stern moved to the United States when he was 14 months old. Stern performed both nationally and internationally, notably touring the Soviet Union and China, and performing extensively in Israel, a country to which he had close ties since shortly after its founding. Stern received extensive recognition for his work, including winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom and six Grammy Awards, and being named to the French Legion of Honour.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall bears his name, due to his role in saving the venue from demolition in the 1960s. Isaac Stern was born in Krzemieniec, Poland (present-day Ukraine), to a Jewish family. He was the son of Solomon and Clara Stern. When he was 14 months old, his family moved to San Francisco in 1921. Both his parents were musical and his mother, who had studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, began teaching him the piano when he was six years old.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

She later switched his lessons to the violin when he turned eight. In 1928, Stern's parents enrolled him at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied until...

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