Itzhak Perlman

Itzhak Perlman with GWB and Laura Bush at White House State Dinner pastry and entertainment for Queen Elizabeth II. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

In a 2015 interview for NPR Morning Edition, Perlman floats the idea of boredom — the avoidance of — as a motivator. The week this story aired, Perlman was to be awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Obama. But in truth it seems anticlimatic considering the impact of his body of work, made possible by the combination of longevity, early success and excellent career steering. (By contrast: consider Mary Whittaker, or Michael Rabin).

DarkViolin Recommendation: Perlman, Seiji Ozawa, Boston performance of Barber’s Violin Concerto (EMI, 1995).