Violin Virtuoso Erick Friedman was Born in 1939

A student of Jascha Heifetz, Friedman cultivated a stellar solo career and regularly appeared with many major orchestras

American violinist Erick Friedman is remembered as one of the most gifted violinists of the twentieth century.

His abilities on the violin were recognized early — he began his studies at The Juilliard School at age 10 and gave his New York debut at age 14. A few years later, Friedman recorded Bach's Concerto for Two Violins alongside Jascha Heifetz, with whom he had just started studying.

Friedman regularly appeared with many major orchestras. He gave many of his performances on the 1724 "Ludwig" Stradivarius violin and created a number of recordings on this instrument. In 1996, he won a GRAMMY Award for the best historical album for "The Heifetz Collection."

Tragically, however, he was forced to retire from the concert stage at the age of 45, after sustaining an arm injury in a car accident.

Following this setback, he reinvented himself as a pedagogue and went on to serve an influential teaching career on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, Southern Methodist University, and Yale School of Music.

He passed away from cancer in 2004, aged 64.

ERICK FRIEDMAN & LAURENT PETITGIRARD | FRANCK VIOLIN SONATA IN A MAJOR FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO & MENDELSSOHN "MAY BREEZE" FROM SONG WITHOUT WORDS (ARR. KREISLER)