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Perlman gets NEA grant

REPORTER FILE PHOTO Toby Perlman, founder and director of Shelter Island's Perlman Music Program.
REPORTER FILE PHOTO Toby Perlman, founder and director of Shelter Island’s Perlman Music Program.

The Perlman Music Program has received a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support its summer music program on Shelter Island.This marks the eighth straight year that the NEA has renewed its support of Perlman and this year’s grant is $20,000 more that what was received in 2013.

“The Perlman Music Program is honored by the long-term support of the National Endowment for the Arts,” said Toby Perlman, founder and director of the program. “This year’s increased grant award attests to the extraordinary spirit of our program,” she said. “The funding will enable us to do what we do best: support the next generation of classical musicians.”

The seven-week summer program brings gifted young musicians between the ages of 12 and 18 to the Island for intensive training on the violin, viola, cello and bass. Under the guidance of renowned musician Itzhak Perlman and his wife and a faculty of world-class professional faculty members, the students are coached and mentored through private lessons, ensemble rehearsals and performance opportunities on Shelter Island and in surrounding East End communities.

Students also participate in daily chorus classes that help develop and strengthen their instrumental skills, Ms. Perlman said.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) sent a note of congratulations to the Perlmans when word of the grant was announced by NEA Chairwoman Jane Chu.

“I commend you for your contributions to the vitality of the New York arts community and wish you much continued success,” the senator said.

Competition for NEA grants is always stiff and Perlman was among 919 organizations to secure money through the fund. There were 1,474 applications in the Art Works category with requests that totalled $75 million. The NEA was able to distribute $26.6 million.

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