Jascha Heifetz documentary to screen at Colburn April 16

It was announced today that the world premiere of Jascha Heifetz: God’s Fiddler, a feature length documentary on the world’s most renowned violinist will take place on Saturday, April 16th at 5:00pm in The Colburn School’s Zipper Hall. The film gives a unique insight into the life of Jascha Heifetz, a legendary but mysterious artist for whom only perfection would do; a musical wunderkind who went on to define the standard in violin playing for nearly a century. Heifetz’s story embodies the dual nature of artistic genius: the paradox of how a mortal man lives with immortal gifts; gifts he must honor, but which extract a life long price. Widely recognized as one of the greatest violinists of all time, Heifetz burst upon the European musical scene as a child virtuoso, where he created such a sensation that police had to protect the young violinist after concerts (as was the case in a 1911 St. Petersburg outdoor concert before 25,000 spectators). His incredible career included stunning success at solo and chamber engagements with major orchestras and concert halls worldwide; as a highly respected teacher and as a prolific recording artist. The film explores not only his musical history in vintage performance clips, but also his family life with rarely seen family home movies, photos and footage from his influence upon pop culture-- from The Muppet Show to Star Trek. The Colburn School was chosen for the premiere because of the school’s commitment to the legacy of Heifetz. When slated for destruction after Heifetz’s death, his Lloyd Wright-designed teaching studio was moved piece by piece to its current home at The Colburn School, where it is now the teaching home of master violin faculty Robert Lipsett, who himself studied with Heifetz as a young man. The School also houses a collection of Heifetz’s personal items. Portions of the film were shot at the studio at The Colburn School during summer 2010.