“From Mao to Mozart is a moving and important film, both historically and artistically. It documents Isaac Stern’s first visit to China, as it had just opened to the West at the end of the Cultural Revolution. Through his teaching, he not only exposed young Chinese musicians to the richness and beauty of Western music, he also introduced the idea that music can be a vehicle for personal expression and exploration of one’s individuality. It was an eye- and ear-opening film for me: I was deeply touched by how liberating an experience it was for the Chinese musicians to have this interaction. It is a reminder that music transcends cultural and political boundaries, and truly has the power to connect. Isaac Stern used his position to unite and make the world smaller through the universal language of music. It is an inspiring story of building bridges through art and is particularly uplifting and relevant today.”―violinist Pamela Frank
Pamela Frank has established an outstanding international reputation with an unusually varied range of performing activity. As a soloist, she has performed with leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Berlin Philharmonic. She recorded the complete Mozart Violin Concertos with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and David Zinman and has also recorded a Schubert album and the Beethoven sonata cycle with her father, Claude Frank. She is the Director of Caramoor’s Evnin Rising Stars mentoring program.
ABOUT THE FILM
In 1979 violinist Isaac Stern made an unprecedented three-week visit to China, the first such tour by a Western musician in a country still reeling from the effects of the Cultural Revolution. He performs and mentors young Chinese musicians and visits Peking Opera rehearsals and other venues. This Oscar-winning documentary is a fascinating and inspiring view of the power of music and musicians to build bridges where politics are controversial.
