Today on Intermezzo, we're joined by violinist Jad Ibrahim, a student at Interlochen Arts Academy, whose remarkable journey began in Latakia, Syria.
Jad shares how he taught himself to play violin by watching YouTube videos of the old masters — Heifetz, Oistrakh, Menuhin — and how his life transformed after coming to Interlochen.
Jad discusses the challenges of learning music without formal lessons, the powerful role of mentorship, and his current work on Wieniawski's "Variations on an Original Theme."
Plus, he introduces us to the world of right hand pizzicato, from brief orchestral techniques to the full-string plucking heard in the Strauss brothers’ "Pizzicato Polka."
