Midori, our October 2020 cover star, made headlines in 1986 when her E-string snapped during a performance of Bernstein’s Serenade after Plato’s Symposium, conducted by the composer. The concertmaster quickly passes her his own instrument but the same thing happens again and the 14-year-old Midori completes her performance on the associate concertmaster’s violin. 

Read I go through the process of learning a piece a few times 

Watch Midori plays Paganini/Liszt 

Read ‘He taught me to stand up for what I believe in’ – Midori remembers Isaac Stern 

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