Isaac Stern

In 1960, Isaac Stern led a successful musical campaign to prevent the demolition of Carnegie Hall, ultimately saving the historic New York City venue from being replaced by an office tower. He successfully convinced the city to purchase the building, famously stating that it takes 100 years to build a hall's reputation but only a few months to destroy it. Today, the main auditorium is named the Isaac Stern Auditorium in his honor.

Isaac Stern was a renowned classical violinist who performed on several highly prized antique instruments throughout his career. His primary instrument was the 1737 "Panette" Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin, which he played for decades. He also notably performed on a 1740 Guarneri del Gesù violin and a Michelangelo Bergonzi violin.

Yes, Isaac Stern was the subject of the Oscar-winning 1980 documentary film "From Mao to Mozart," which chronicles his historic trip to China to perform and teach following the end of the Cultural Revolution. He also made a cameo appearance in the 1999 Meryl Streep film "Music of the Heart," performing alongside other famous violinists like Itzhak Perlman.

Stern was one of the most prolific talent scouts in 20th-century classical music, famously helping to discover and launch the careers of numerous young musicians. He was instrumental in bringing cellist Yo-Yo Ma to international prominence after hearing him play, and he also heavily mentored celebrated violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman.