Urban Violins : Virtuoso Itzhak Perlman Helps Children Premiere Inner-City Arts Center

The kids were fidgeting--until the fiddling started.

That’s what happened Friday when hundreds of children who live in hotels and crowded apartments in Downtown Los Angeles gathered to listen to classical music.

World-famed violinist Itzhak Perlman had come to a converted Kohler Street auto body shop to play for youngsters more familiar with boombox ballads than Beethoven and Brahms. The occasion was the dedication of a new headquarters for the nonprofit Inner-City Arts program.

Jesse Acarrasco, 8, was busily counting the bagful of valentines he received earlier in the day as he waited for the music to begin. Kizay Perez, also 8, was tying and retying her shoes as youngsters around her squirmed and whispered to each other while they waited.

But everyone snapped to attention when eight of their classmates stood up, tucked pint-size violins under their chins and welcomed Perlman by playing their own 90-second piece called “The Metronome.”

And a hush fell across the room when Perlman pulled out a 280-year-old Stradivarius and played a portion of “La Vida Breve” and “Tambourin Chinois” by Kriesler and “Allegro” by Fiocco.

Perlman was invited to Downtown Los Angeles two years ago when Inner-City Arts Chairman Irwin Jaeger met him at a New York “business in the arts” awards ceremony. “He was very approachable. So I just asked him if he’d come play for the children,” said Jaeger, a commercial real estate developer.

Perlman stayed to chat with youngsters after his brief concert. He drew gasps when he told them he started taking music lessons at the age of 5 and was practicing two hours a day by age 7. He drew laughter when 11-year-old Raquel Zepeda--one of those who had serenaded him with their own music--asked him if there was an easier way to hold the violin.

“No,” replied Perlman, demonstrating how silly it would look to try to play by holding it in front of his face or behind his head.

Before leaving, he helped Raquel tune her small violin. And he accepted drawings and a small sculpture from Roger Mendoza, 10, and Jessica Ortega, 9, on behalf of youngsters from San Pedro Street, Utah Street, 28th Street and 9th Street schools who use the arts center.

“Exposure to music is very important for the kids in this part of town,” Perlman said. “Music is an international language.”

Perlman’s music--and his friendliness--earned rave reviews from youngsters.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give him a 10,” said Hilda Perez, 11, of San Pedro Street School.

Angel Perez, 9, of Utah Street School said: “I liked his music. I like English music, all of it.”