The Perlman Music Program (PMP) has held a Winter Residency in Sarasota since 2004. This intensive two-week program was founded by Toby Perlman, wife of internationally acclaimed concert violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, and offers unparalleled musical training for students, ages 12 to 20+, who play the violin, viola, cello, and bass. With a faculty led by Itzhak Perlman and comprising some of the most gifted musical talents of our time, the PMP Sarasota Winter Residency offers an artistic and personal experience that changes students’ lives forever.

The Winter Residency’s free, public events include orchestra and chorus rehearsals, master classes, and works-in-progress student recitals, which attract more than 13,000 people each year. Question and answer sessions with the Perlmans and PMP students and faculty follow many of these events. These events take place in a heated, outdoor performance tent on the grounds of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus.

Every year, the Winter Residency culminates with the “Celebration Concert,” with Itzhak Perlman conducting the PMP String Orchestra at the Sarasota Opera House.