Midori, violin with Festival Strings Lucerne

It has been more than 30 years since the celebrated violinist Midori graced the stage of the Foellinger Great Hall. Midori, once a child prodigy, is now a violin superstar recognized as a visionary educator and humanitarian whose multiple nonprofit organizations bring music to children and underserved communities. The United Nations appointed Midori a Messenger of Peace in 2007; she was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2021. “In her hands,” said Roberto Prosseda when conferring the 2025 Cremona Musica Award, “the violin is not only an instrument—it becomes a voice for humanity itself.”

Midori has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with the Festival Strings Lucerne, a brilliant European chamber ensemble under the leadership of Daniel Dodds. This concert features two works by Mendelssohn: his beloved Violin Concerto and the “Scottish” Symphony. The performance also includes works by Maurice Ravel and Helena Winkelman, both of which pay homage to Haydn.