Described as a personal dream, Maestro Itzhak Perlman, along with 22 musicians, teachers, and staff from the Perlman Music Program served as mentors to 35 nationally selected young Chinese instrumentalists under 18 who joined 28 internationally selected young Western instrumentalists from the New York Perlman Music Program for a three week workshop in Shanghai. During this time, they not only received training as musicians, but also learned about collaboration through ensemble playing, music from a broad perspective, and learned to develop as well-rounded individuals in a supportive and multicultural environment to enhance their comprehension of music, culture, and the world. Approved and authorized by the Ministry of Culture of People's Republic of China, "Perlman in Shanghai" in 2002 was hosted by the Shanghai Grand Theatre, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Shanghai Oriental TV Arts Channel, with the Committee of 100 Cultural Institute (USA) as organizer.


To expand the cultural exchange to a broader public, Maestro Perlman led a free community event in which 1000 string players aged four to twenty played under the leadership of Maestro Perlman at the Science and Technology Museum. Master classes were also held at the Shanghai conservatory of Music and at the Shanghai Grand Theater, bringing together musicians, students, teachers, and scholars to discuss music in the US and China.


The culmination of this program was the closing concert of the Perlman Music Program in Shanghai with Perlman conducting the joint youth orchestra. A one hour documentary, "Perlman in Shanghai" by Oscar winning director Allen Miller made in collaboration with Shanghai Oriental TV Arts Channel, was aired by PBS in cities around the U.S. and on Chinese television in China.