Rewind 35 years. The 1973 Aggie football team was struggling through what would be a losing season. (So maybe it's not such a rewind after all.)

That fall, Itzhak Perlman wasn't even 30 years old and A&M's Rudder Auditorium was brand-spanking new. MSC OPAS was born that year, and Perlman was the first act at the newest, largest performance venue in the Brazos Valley.

Sure, he wasn't much older than the school's seniors, but he already had been playing professional violin for a decade, having performed at Carnegie Hall at 18.

Now, at 63, Perlman remains the violin virtuoso of his generation and he brings his vast talent back to Rudder Auditorium at 3 p.m. Sunday, a special event of OPAS' 36th season.

It's not his first return to the OPAS stage. He joined the San Antonio Symphony to open the 1986-87 season. Before and since, Perlman has played in every major arena on the planet.

He says his proudest achievement came in 1993, when his violin solos were featured as part of John Williams' score for Steven Spielberg's epic movie Schindler's List.

As concert violinists go, his star has reached the top, but with no end in site.

"About 15 years ago, my entire music action took a change," he said Wednesday. "In addition to the concerts and performing, I added conducting and teaching. I am extremely happy with all three.

"One of the dangers of doing the same thing over and over again is boredom. That is so not the case for me. Everything I do makes the other things better. The conducting helps the playing, the playing helps the conducting and the teaching helps both."

Perlman calls himself a fiddler, owns an iPod and proudly declares that it contains the rock 'n roll oldies he grew up with, along with the classical hits of his professional genre.

At age 4, polio robbed him of the use of his legs, a hurdle that has hardly impeded his rise to the summit of classical music. In 1987, a year after his most recent OPAS appearance, he joined the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to make history in Warsaw and Budapest for a first-ever performance in Eastern-bloc countries.

Perlman's passion for music is revealed by his constant desire to teach young people. In 1993, he and his wife, Toby, a fellow Juilliard alum, started the Perlman Music Program in New York City.

"For every child prodigy that you know about, at least 50 potential ones have burned out," Perlman said.

The Perlman Music Program boasts that virtually all of its graduates have continued their musical studies in conservatories and distinguished colleges.

Accompanying Perlman this afternoon will be pianist Rohan De Silva. They will perform J.M. Leclair's Sonata for Violin and Piano in D major, Richard Strauss' Sonata for Violin and Piano in E Flat Major, and Olivier Messiaen's Theme and Variations for Violin and Piano.

Because today's performance is partially funded by the OPAS Permanent Endowment and sponsored by the Gilbert and Thyra Plass Charitable Trust, OPAS has been able to offer tickets to Perlman's concert at one-sixth of the price of some other venues. An orchestra seat for the same concert playing Jan. 12 in West Palm Beach, Fla., costs $514. An orchestra seat today at Rudder was advertised at $85. But today, any seats still available will be offered as a half-price rush ticket to A&M students for as little as $24.

"Priceless" is how many describe the chance to witness this superstar of his craft, who emigrated from his native Israel in 1958 at age 13, the same year he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Coming back to Bryan-College Station, a town where exposure to classical music is limited compared to large metropolitan settings, Perlman relishes the opportunity to create new fans.

"I always hope for that," he said. "I'm a firm believer that even though an audience may not know exactly what they are hearing, they have a sense when something is good.

"I like to communicate with the audience with music and a little talk. It's always gratifying to hear of someone's first experience in a classical concert hall and that they enjoyed it. That's very important."

Save the date

* Sunday-Wednesday: Arts Council of Brazos Valley and Brazos Valley Arts League present a Holiday Artisan Bazaar at the Arts Center, 2275 Dartmouth St., College Station (696-2787, acbv.org).

* Sunday: Brazos Valley Troupe presents Flashback Fever, music of the '50s and '60s. Town & Country Center, 3705 E. 29th St., Bryan, 3 p.m.

* Sunday: The Theatre Company presents Jekyll & Hyde, 2 p.m. Sunday (www.thetheatrecompany .com)

* Sunday: MSC OPAS presents violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, 3 p.m., Rudder Auditorium (845-1234, mscopas.org)

* Dec. 1-2: MSC-Opas presents A Rockapella Holiday Concert, Rudder Auditorium (845-1234, mscopas.org)

* Dec. 1-18: Brazos Valley Arts League presents "Member Art Show" in the Texas Gallery, 2275 Dartmouth St., College Station (696-2787, acbv.org).

* Dec. 3-14: Unity Theatre in Brenham presents A Child's Christmas in Wales (979-836-5401, unitybrenham.org)

* Dec. 4: American Guild of Organists presents Advent Recitals, noon at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in College Station (690-4673)

* Dec. 5: Our Lady Sings of Christmas, 7:30 p.m., St. Thomas Episcopal Church in College Station (690-4673)

* Dec, 5: "First Friday," downtown Bryan, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (822-0496, downtownbryan.com)

* Dec, 5-6: StageCenter presents Home for the Holidays with Elvis tribute artist Terry Price, 7:30 p.m. (696-2787, stagecenter.net)

* Dec. 7: Texas A&M Choral Ensembles presents Holiday Spirit of Aggieland concert, 3 p.m., Rudder Auditorium (845-5974, bvchorale.org)

* All month: Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley presents various programs, including Monday Madness from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (779-5437, www.mymuseum.com)

* Tom Turbiville is The Eagle's arts columnist. He's also sports director for WTAW-1620AM Radio. His e-mail address is tom.turbiville@ theeagle.com.

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Posted by: Loser Police On: 11/23/2008

Comment Title:
What loser wrote this stupid story? "The 1973 Aggie football team was struggling through what would be a losing season. (So maybe it's not such a rewind after all.)" What in the world does that have to do with a violin recital?

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