Steven Isserlis Interviews Ida Haendel

Steven Isserlis Interviews Ida Haendel

MUSIC

Ida Haendel’s Stringed Saga

A brief look at the amazing 85-year career of the accomplished violinist

By Gino Cerruti  5/1/2013 at 9:27am

IMAGE: COURTESY IDA HAENDEL LONDON

1928

Born in Chelm, Poland
 

1932

Starts playing sister’s violin

 1933

Wins prestigious Warsaw Conservatory Gold Medal

1939

Moves to London just in time to avoid Nazi invasion of Poland
 

1940–45

Now a UK citizen, she frequently plays to entertain wounded Allied troops in London hospitals.
  

IMAGE: COURTESY SHUTTERSTOCK

  1946

Becomes first soloist to perform with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
 

 1946

Plays at Carnegie Hall in New York, her first US performance
 

1952

Moves to Montreal with her parents and continues touring worldwide
 

1973

Joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra for tour of People’s Republic of China, the first Western orchestra to appear there since the Cultural Revolution
 

 1991

Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (one step below knighthood) by Queen Elizabeth II
 

 2006

Performs for Pope Benedict XVI at the former concentration camp Auschwitz
 

May 23, 2013

Scheduled to perform with the Portland Chamber Music Ensemble 45th Parallel at the Old Church, 7:30 p.m. 45thparallelpdx.org