Perlman Music Program celebrates 20 years with a concert and dinner

The Perlman Music Program celebrated its 20th anniversary on Jan. 6 with a celebration concert at the Sarasota Opera House, and a celebration dinner at Michael's On East.

With a keen interest in child development and education, Toby Perlman founded the Perlman Music Program, and she is dedicated to providing a life-changing educational experience for each student. Students are chosen not just for technical abilities, but also for their ability to become interesting artists mastering the violin, viola, cello and bass.

The PMP Winter Residency is a 17-day program that provides an opportunity to shape the lives of outstanding musicians who experience top educators under the direction of famed maestro, Itzhak Perlman. Through a partnership with the University of South Florida's Sarasota-Manatee campus since 2004, students from around the world are invited to the program and housed near the college. The program is designed for musical prodigies aged 12-20+, and concerts are open to the public, which affords students the opportunity to see what goes into the training of world-class musicians.

Itzhak Perlman he was very happy with the kids' performance that evening. "With such difficult pieces of music to play they performed beautifully, and I hope the entire audience enjoyed the amazing experience as much as I did," he said.

Trained in community outreach and available to schools at no cost, the PMP alumni provide educational information and insights into classical string music.