Isaac Stern’s kin sue over his estate

After the violinist Isaac Stern died, pieces of his legacy, including autographed photographs, a music collection and violins and bows, were auctioned off.

But Stern’s three children say that never should have happened and are suing the former executor of their father’s estate for more than $2 million. They say he improperly calculated the estate’s value and left it unable to pay off the musician’s debts, while paying himself thousands of dollars in personal expenses.

Stern, who died in 2001 at age 81, was among the most recorded classical musicians in history. He fought to save Carnegie Hall from a demolition plan in the 1950s and helped promote the careers of such musicians as Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman and Yo-Yo Ma.

Stern’s children say they are not contesting their father’s will, but the actions of executor William Moorhead III. Moorhead, who has resigned as executor, did not return calls seeking comment.