The Jews of Lebanon Project

Yfrah Neaman / يفراح نيعمان‎ is a world-renowned Lebanese violinist and professor. He was born to Jewish parents in the southern port town of Sidon where at an early age he acquired a keen talent which would later develop into one of the greatest contributions to the classical music world in modern history.

He studied in Paris with Jaques Thibaud, and then settled in London where he continued his studies with Carl Flesch and Max Rostal. He taught at the Guildhall School of Music and was artistic director of the Carl Flesch Competition. Among his students were Krzysztof Smietana, David Takeno, Wolfgang David, and Radoslaw Szulc. He gave the first performances in Britain of the violin concertos of Walter Piston (1952) and Roberto Gerhard (1955).

“You can’t have your career made for you, but it can help if someone opens the door.” For over 4o years he helped students from London all the way to Korea, Japan and China where he forged close links and disposed his musical genius to students in these respective countries.

In honor of Yfrah Neaman, and so many sons from Lebanon who traveled and continue to travel to the farthest corners of the earth pursuing their dreams, and have reached the highest podiums in the world- those who are honored, respected, and commemorated everywhere in the world except in their own home, among their own people- in Lebanon.

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