The classical music world is holding its breath tonight as reports confirm that Itzhak Perlman’s mother, Shoshana Perlman, is in critical condition at a Tel Aviv hospital.

The 78-year-old violinist — widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of the past century — issued a short, emotional statement through his family, asking for “privacy, peace, and prayer.”

“She gave me my first violin,” he said softly.

“She believed in me before the world did. Everything I am began with her.”

A SON’S HEARTBREAK

Perlman, who has long been open about his deep bond with his mother, has described her as the foundation of his career.

When he contracted polio at age four, it was Shoshana who refused to let his disability silence him. She carried him to lessons, encouraged him to practice, and taught him that music could overcome pain.

“She never once let me feel broken,” he once told The Guardian.

“When I played, she looked at me not with pity, but pride.”

Now, those close to the family say he has flown to Israel to be by her side, spending quiet hours with her, often playing soft melodies at her bedside — the same way he did when he was a child.

“The Woman Behind the Music”

Fellow musicians, conductors, and fans around the world have shared messages of love and support.

Yo-Yo Ma, a lifelong friend, wrote on X:

“Behind every great artist is a greater soul. Shoshana Perlman gave us all a gift through her son — may she feel the love she inspired.”

Lang Lang posted:

“Every note he ever played carries her spirit. Sending love and strength to my friend Itzhak and his family.”

Concert halls from Vienna to Los Angeles dimmed their lights before performances last night in tribute, with many orchestras dedicating their encores to “the mother who raised the maestro.”

Fans in Tears

Social media flooded with messages from fans who grew up listening to Perlman’s music.

Some shared clips of his legendary 1986 performance with the New York Philharmonic, while others posted photos of themselves learning violin because of him.

“Itzhak taught us beauty,” one fan wrote. “Now we pray that beauty returns to him in his darkest hour.”

Another wrote:

“For decades, he healed us through music. Now, it’s our turn to lift him up.”

Grace Under Grief

Though known for his humor and warmth, Perlman has faced personal loss with quiet strength before.

Friends say he’s coping the same way he always has — through music.

“He doesn’t talk much about pain,” one longtime colleague shared. “He plays it out instead. You can hear the love, the sadness, the gratitude in every note.”

Sources close to the family confirm that Perlman recently performed a private piece for his mother from her hospital room — the same lullaby she once sang to him as a child.

“It was his way of saying thank you,” said the source. “A son’s final duet with the woman who made him who he is.”

The Legacy of Love

Whether or not Shoshana recovers, those around Perlman say the lesson she gave him will remain eternal:

that music, at its core, is an act of love.

As one of his students wrote online:

“Itzhak Perlman taught us how to play. But his mother taught him why.”

And somewhere in that hospital room — between the sound of heart monitors and quiet prayers — the world’s greatest violinist plays once more.

Not for fame.

Not for applause.

But for the first person who ever believed he could make the world sing.