YEHUDI MENUHIN (1916-1999) was born in New York of Russian-Jewish parents. He made his violin debut at age seven with the San Francisco Symphony, followed by a recital in New York a year later. By age eleven he had made his historic debuts in Paris and Carnegie Hall, at age twelve in Berlin and at thirteen in London, thus launching himself on a career that was to take him all over the world for the seven ensuing decades.

In addition to his acclaim as a great musician, Menuhin is equally renowned for his committed humanitarianism. He was a constant contributor to religious, social, and environmental organizations throughout the world. Over the course of World War II, he gave concerts for Allied troops, and later returned to Germany to play for former inmates of the concentration camps.

In recognition of this work, he received many honours throughout his long career, including the Nehru Peace Prize for International Understanding in 1960 and the Distinguished Peace Leadership Award in 1997. In 1992, he was awarded the title of Ambassador of Goodwill to UNESCO. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1987 and awarded a life peerage in 1993.

In 1963, Yehudi Menuhin created a boarding school for musically gifted children in Surrey, England. In 1977, he founded the International Menuhin Music Academy in Gstaad, Switzerland, the site of the Menuhin Music Festival, of which he was artistic director for forty years.

Yehudi Menuhin was President and Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, Emeritus Conductor of the English String Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Warsaw Symphony, and Honourary President and Principal Conductor of the Philharmonia Hungarica.

Lord Menuhin was awarded an Honourary Doctorate from the University of Victoria in 1997. He died in 1999 in Berlin, Germany.