Itzhak Perlman

I say to string players in small chamber orchestras, 'it's always easy to become a passenger on the journey in sound, just adding volume to the whole. But if you play in an individual way, it makes the difference between good and great sound in an orchestra.'

In difficult times, people just like to hear music. They like to be moved by what they hear. And music speaks different languages.

Sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left.

For every child prodigy that you know about, at least 50 potential ones have burned out before you even heard about them.

Whenever I play recitals, the part where I talk about music and my experiences of music, audiences always like it. They feel more involved with an artist who talks to them. It's a nice experience for me as well.

I am playing the violin, that's all I know, nothing else, no education, no nothing. You just practice every day.

Israel is the country of my birth. When I come here, I feel I'm coming home.

I have a very simple philosophy. One has to separate the abilities from the disabilities. The fact I cannot walk, that I need crutches or a scooter or whatever it is, has nothing to do with my playing the violin.

The most important thing to do is really listen.

I have always been very proud of my Jewish heritage, which has greatly influenced my music, my world view, and my work as an advocate for individuals whom society often leaves behind.

Perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.

For people who are really talented, what you don't say becomes extremely important. You have to judge what to say and what to leave alone so you can let the talent develop.