# Yehudi Menuhin

> American violinist and conductor (1916–1999)

**Wikidata**: [Q156814](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q156814)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehudi_Menuhin)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/yehudi-menuhin

## Summary
Yehudi Menuhin was an American violinist and conductor (1916–1999) who achieved international fame for his virtuosic performances and contributions to classical music. He was a founding member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received numerous awards, including the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour and the Order of Merit. Menuhin was also known for his work as a conductor and his establishment of the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Menuhin Festival Gstaad.

## Biography
- Born: April 22, 1916, in New York City, United States
- Nationality: American
- Education: Studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music
- Known for: Virtuosic violin performances and contributions to classical music
- Employer(s): American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Académie des beaux-arts, Romanian Academy
- Field(s): Classical music, violin performance, conducting

## Contributions
- Founded the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, UK, in 1963, which later moved to London in 1980.
- Established the Menuhin Festival Gstaad in Switzerland in 1957.
- Created the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists in 1983.
- Owned the Stradivarius violin "Soil," which he played extensively.
- Recorded numerous classical music pieces, including Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12.

## FAQs
**What instruments did Yehudi Menuhin play?**
Yehudi Menuhin was primarily known as a violinist, but he also conducted orchestras and ensembles.

**Where did Yehudi Menuhin study music?**
He studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

**What awards did Yehudi Menuhin receive?**
He received numerous awards, including the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, the Order of Merit, and the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

**What was Yehudi Menuhin's most famous violin?**
He owned and played the Stradivarius violin "Soil."

**What festivals did Yehudi Menuhin establish?**
He founded the Menuhin Festival Gstaad in Switzerland in 1957.

## Why They Matter
Yehudi Menuhin's contributions to classical music were significant, particularly in promoting young talent through his school and competition. His performances and recordings brought classical music to a global audience, and his work as a conductor further expanded the reach of orchestral music. His establishment of the Menuhin Festival Gstaad and the Yehudi Menuhin School ensured the continued education and performance of future generations of musicians. Menuhin's influence extended beyond his playing career, shaping the landscape of classical music education and performance.

## Notable For
- Founding member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Member of the Académie des beaux-arts and the Romanian Academy
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
- Order of Merit recipient
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Recipient of the Glenn Gould Prize
- Kennedy Center Honors recipient
- Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding recipient
- Léonie Sonning Music Prize recipient
- Doctor honoris causa from the Paris-Sorbonne University
- Peace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' Association recipient
- Ernst Reuter Medal recipient
- Albert Medal recipient
- Ernst von Siemens Music Prize recipient
- Brahms-Preis recipient
- Wolf Prize in Arts recipient
- Princess of Asturias Award for Concord recipient
- Otto Hahn Peace Medal recipient
- Honorary doctor of the University of Valencia
- Honorary doctorate of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Yehudi Menuhin was born on April 22, 1916, in New York City, United States. He studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he developed his skills as a violinist.

### Career and Performances
Menuhin achieved international fame for his virtuosic performances and recordings. He played the Stradivarius violin "Soil," which he owned and performed on extensively. His recordings included Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12.

### Conducting and Education
In addition to his violin career, Menuhin conducted orchestras and ensembles. He founded the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, UK, in 1963, which later moved to London in 1980. The school provided education and performance opportunities for young musicians. He also established the Menuhin Festival Gstaad in Switzerland in 1957, which became a renowned music festival.

### Competitions and Awards
Menuhin created the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists in 1983, promoting young talent in the field of violin performance. He received numerous awards, including the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, the Order of Merit, and the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

### Legacy and Influence
Yehudi Menuhin's contributions to classical music were significant, particularly in promoting young talent through his school and competition. His performances and recordings brought classical music to a global audience, and his work as a conductor further expanded the reach of orchestral music. His establishment of the Menuhin Festival Gstaad and the Yehudi Menuhin School ensured the continued education and performance of future generations of musicians. Menuhin's influence extended beyond his playing career, shaping the landscape of classical music education and performance.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978)
3. Archivio Storico Ricordi
4. The Peerage
5. LIBRIS. 2012
6. The Fine Art Archive
7. Hansard 1803–2005
8. [MM. EDWARD HEATH ET YEHUDI MENUHIN DOCTEURS "HONORIS CAUSA" DE PARIS-SORBONNE. Le Monde. 1976](https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1976/02/16/mm-edward-heath-et-yehudi-menuhin-docteurs-honoris-causa-de-paris-sorbonne_2958568_1819218.html)
9. Journal officiel de la République française. 1976
10. [Source](https://www.friedenspreis-des-deutschen-buchhandels.de/alle-preistraeger-seit-1950/1970-1979/yehudi-menuhiin)
11. [Source](https://www.evs-musikstiftung.ch/en/prize/prize/archive/prize-winner-archive.html)
12. [Moses-Mendelssohn-Preis des Landes Berlin - Preisträgerinnen und Preisträger 1980 bis 2020](https://www.berlin.de/sen/kultur/foerderung/foerderergebnisse/2020_liste_mmpreistraeger.pdf)
13. [Source](https://brahms-sh.de/preistrager/)
14. [Source](https://dgvn.berlin/2017/03/01/verleihung-der-otto-hahn-friedensmedaille/)
15. [Source](https://www.uv.es/uvweb/rectorado/es/premios-distinciones/doctores-honoris-causa/doctores-honoris-causa-siglo-xx/fecha-investidura/acto-investidura-doctor-honoris-causa-del-excm-sr-dr-lord-yehudi-menuhin-1285872205498/Honoris.html?id=1285878680919)
16. [Source](https://cavavub.be/nl/eredoctoraten)
17. [Source](http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154)
18. [Source](https://www5.open.ac.uk/students/ceremonies/sites/www.open.ac.uk.students.ceremonies/files/files/Honorary%20graduate%20cumulative%20list(7).xlsx)
19. International Standard Name Identifier
20. MusicBrainz
21. [BnF authorities](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11915594t)
22. Virtual International Authority File
23. CiNii Research
24. IMDb
25. SNAC
26. Find a Grave
27. Discogs
28. [Brockhaus Enzyklopädie](https://brockhaus.de/ecs/julex/article/menuhin-yehudi)
29. BnF authorities
30. GeneaStar
31. Roglo
32. Croatian Encyclopedia
33. Salzburgwiki
34. Munzinger Personen
35. filmportal.de
36. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
37. [Historical Dictionary of Switzerland](https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/020705/2009-11-24)
38. [Source](https://www.francemusique.fr/personne/yehudi-menuhin)
39. Radio France
40. Historical Dictionary of Switzerland
41. [Source](http://digitale.beic.it/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&vid=BEIC&vl%283134987UI0%29=creator&vl%28freeText0%29=Menuhin%20Yehudi)
42. CONOR.SI
43. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
44. BBC Things
45. National Portrait Gallery (London) online artwork database
46. La France savante
47. National Library of Israel
48. Who's Who
49. [Letters and other papers relating to Menuhin's involvement with the film industry, 1947 Sept. 11-1948 Sept 2](http://archives.nypl.org/mus/20100)
50. [Source](https://mix-n-match.toolforge.org/#/entry/63771105)