Renowned Violinst Itzhak Perlman Returns to Houston at Jones Hall Tonight

Violinist Itzhak Perlman returns to Houston for a recital concert tonight, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m. in Jones Hall, presented by Society for the Performing Arts.

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Perlman and pianist Rohan De Silva have teamed up once again for a recital performance that will include Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 1 in D Major, Op. 12, No.1; César Franck's Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major; Giuseppe Tartini's Sonata in G Minor for Violin and Continuo The Devil's Trill; and other selections that will be announced from the stage.

Beloved for his charm and humanity, as well as his talent, Perlman is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to the irrepressible joy of making music, which he communicates when playing. Though he has performed for American Presidents and Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, and led such orchestras as the Chicago Symphony and Israeli Philharmonic, among others, Perlman's proudest achievement is his collaboration with film score composer John Williams in Steven Spielberg's Academy Award winning Schindler's List, for which he performed all of the violin solos.

De Silva, a native of Sri Lanka, began his piano studies with his mother, the late Primrose De Silva, at the age of 6. His partnerships with violin virtuosos in addition to Itzhak Perlman have included Cho-Liang Lin, Midori, Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Julian Rachlin, and have led to highly acclaimed performances at recital venues all over the world.

Itzhak Perlman's presence on stage, on camera and in personal appearances of all kinds speaks eloquently on behalf of the disabled, and his devotion to their cause is an integral part of his life.

Tickets range from $35-$90 and can be purchased online at www.spahouston.org by phone at 713-227-4772 or at the courtyard level ticket office at Jones Hall located at 615 Louisiana St. Hours of operation: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday. For groups of 15 or more call 713-632-8113.

Founded in 1966, Society for the Performing Arts (SPA) is the largest independent non-profit presenting organization in the Southwest. Since its inception, SPA has sponsored more than 1,000 performances of the world's finest music, dance and theater events, in adherence to the belief that the arts are fundamental to the overall enrichment and quality of life within the community. In addition to presenting artists, SPA seeks to provide a variety of learning experiences for adults and children through master classes, lectures and special student performances, as well as build relationships between the performing arts and other interests within the greater Houston area and throughout the state of Texas.