Pinchas Zukerman’s formative years explored in PBS documentary

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Violinist, violist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman will be the focus of Pinchas Zukerman: Here to Make Music – a feature-length documentary offering an intimate look at the formative years of the artist, whose international career has spanned more than five years.

The documentary is part of the series Great musicians of our time on PBS, which has previously featured an episode on Itzhak Perlman.

Remastered from 16mm film, Here to Make Music traces the development of his talent from its beginnings to early maturity. Filmed over seven years (1967–1974) in Italy, Israel, Denmark, Germany, London and New York, the documentary brings together rare recordings and performances that illuminate his emergence as an extraordinary musician.

Featuring sound recordings of Zukerman’s playing from the age of nine and filmed performances from the age of 19, the film provides a record of his early artistic development. It also follows his developing relationship with the English Chamber Orchestra, which led him to conduct for the first time in 1970.

The documentary showcases the work of filmmaker Christopher Nupen, who emerged in the 1960s as a pioneer of a new genre of classical music film. Using a lightweight, silent 16mm film camera, Nupen captured musicians in close quarters, both backstage and in concert, offering intimate insights into their lives and music-making.

’Christopher Nupen was a very special friend to me and my family over several decades,’ Zukerman told The Strad. ’I found him to be one of the most extraordinary producers of musical documentaries that I have ever known.  His ability to understand music while creating relevant stories for so many was absolutely unique.’

Here to Make Music premieres on Friday 16 October at 10:00pm ET on PBS with streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app.