# Yfrah Neaman

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Yfrah_Neaman
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Yfrah_Neaman.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yfrah_Neaman
> Source revision: 1335479029
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Yfrah Neaman

**Professor Yfrah Neaman, [OBE](/source/OBE) FGSM** (13 February 1923[1] – 4 January 2003), was a violinist and teacher.

## Early life

Neaman was born in [Sidon](/source/Sidon), [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon).[1] He lived in [Tel Aviv](/source/Tel_Aviv) until 1932 when he moved to Paris to study at the [Paris Conservatoire](/source/Paris_Conservatoire). In 1937 at the age of 14 he won the Premier Prix, the youngest ever student to do so. After his studies in Paris, Neaman travelled to London to study with [Carl Flesch](/source/Carl_Flesch),[2] and in 1939 returned to France to study with [Jacques Thibaud](/source/Jacques_Thibaud). Following the German invasion of France in 1940, Neaman settled in London where he continued his studies with [Max Rostal](/source/Max_Rostal).[3]

## Career

James Agate's review of Neaman's London debut, 1944

Once settled in London Neaman met [Dame Myra Hess](/source/Myra_Hess) and [Howard Ferguson](/source/Howard_Ferguson_(composer)), both of whom became life-long friends. They invited him to play for their National Gallery lunchtime concert series and during the next few years Neaman gave 15 National Gallery concerts.[4]

Neaman taught at the [Guildhall School of Music and Drama](/source/Guildhall_School_of_Music) from 1958 until his death, first as Professor of Violin, then as Head of Advanced Solo Studies. His students included [Simon Fischer](/source/Simon_Fischer_(musician)).[5] In 1998 he was made Emeritus Professor in recognition of his 40 years' service to the School. He gave masterclasses all over the world and as a guest professor had his own class four times a year at the [Peter Cornelius Konservatorium](/source/Peter_Cornelius_Conservatory) in Mainz, Germany, from 1973 until his death. He was also Specialist Consultant to [Wells Cathedral Music School](/source/Wells_Cathedral_School) for over 30 years. He held the Hengrave Summer Course for more than 25 years.[6]

## Awards

Neaman received many international and UK awards, including the Gutenberg-Plakette of the City of Mainz, Germany, in 1997, the [Cobbet Medal](/source/Walter_Willson_Cobbett_Medal) of the Worshipful Company of Musicians in 1997, and the [Freedom of the City of London](/source/Freedom_of_the_City_of_London) in 1980. He was appointed an Officer of the [Order of the British Empire](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire) (OBE) in 1983.[7]

## Death

Yfrah Neaman died of cancer on January 4, 2003, at age 79 in London, survived by his wife Gillian, son Sam and daughter Rachel.[1]

## See also

- [List of British Jews](/source/List_of_British_Jews)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) ["Obituary: Yfrah Neaman"](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/jan/08/guardianobituaries1). *the Guardian*. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 24 December 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Studying the violin with Carl Flesch"](https://www.thestrad.com/playing-and-teaching/studying-the-violin-with-carl-flesch/5193.article). *The Strad*. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Obituary: Yfrah Neaman"](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/yfrah-neaman-hw08rcs673k). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 7 January 2003. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0140-0460](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0140-0460). Retrieved 13 January 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Wartime at the National Gallery"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230320180257/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/93d5564b55204c36a80a696d442a53cf). *The Radio Times*. No. 3711. 2 March 1995. p. 106. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0033-8060](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0033-8060). Archived from [the original](https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/93d5564b55204c36a80a696d442a53cf) on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Biography"](https://www.simonfischeronline.com/biography.html). *SIMON FISCHER ONLINE*. Retrieved 26 January 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Yfrah Neaman | Guildhall School of Music & Drama"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220130065823/https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/about_the_school/alumni/our_alumni_community/staff_obituaries/person/1025-yfrah-neaman/). Archived from [the original](https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/about_the_school/alumni/our_alumni_community/staff_obituaries/person/1025-yfrah-neaman/) on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The London Gazette"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49375/supplement/1). *www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49375/supplement/1*. Supplement:49375. 10 June 1983. p. 11.

## External links

- [*The Guardian* obituary](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/jan/08/guardianobituaries1)

- [*Independent* obituary](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/professor-yfrah-neaman-138189.html)

- [*The Times* obituary](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/yfrah-neaman-hw08rcs673k)

- [Guildhall School of Music & Drama obituary](http://www.gsmd.ac.uk/about_the_school/alumni/our_alumni_community/staff_obituaries/person/1025-yfrah-neaman/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200703141447/https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/about_the_school/alumni/our_alumni_community/staff_obituaries/person/1025-yfrah-neaman/) 3 July 2020 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- ["Yfrah Neaman, Violinist, To Give Community Concert"](https://scholarworks.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3829&context=studentnewspaper). *[Montana Kaimin](/source/Montana_Kaimin)*. Vol. LIII, no. 61. 12 February 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 16 August 2021.

- [Yfrah Neaman, 'International Competitions. A Constructive or Destructive Influence'](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000313137802800404), *American String Teacher*, vol.28, issue 4, 1 November 1978

- [Performances of Yfrah Neaman at BBC Proms](https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/events/performers/5ef78fcf-9162-403a-81c4-7de83bdc873e/performances)

- [History of the Summer Academy – Varna Summer IMF](https://varnasummerfest.org/en/summer-academy/history)

- [Yfrah Neaman Discography](https://www.discogs.com/artist/917044-Yfrah-Neaman)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States Italy Netherlands Poland Israel Artists MusicBrainz Other IdRef Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Yfrah Neaman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yfrah_Neaman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yfrah_Neaman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.