Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Sunday, September 23, 2001
Release #315-01f


MAYOR GIULIANI ISSUES STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF ISAAC STERN

Isaac Stern was an inspiring violinist and a great New Yorker, who did more than any other individual to save Carnegie Hall from the wrecking ball. He was a tireless ambassador for classical music who traveled the world, teaching new generations the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and countless other great composers.

Especially at this difficult time, we take comfort from the memory of Isaac Stern's legendary concert in Israel during the Gulf War, when he refused to stop playing during a missile attack, wearing a gas mask so that the music could continue.

This native of Ukraine represented the immigrant tradition of our City and our Nation, but he also represented the universal values of artistic excellence. His legacy lives on in the grandeur of Carnegie Hall, and in the beauty of his timeless music.


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