Conductor du jour Gustavo Dudamel, left, surprised Israeli violinist Gil Shaham, right, on November 20 at "Live From Lincoln Center" when Dudamel shouted from the audience, "Hola Gil, I have a message for you." Dudamel then presented Shaham the 2008 Avery Fisher Prize. Also there to congratulate Shaham on the televised program were Avery Fisher Artist Program chairman Nathan Leventhal, Charles Avery Fisher, and Nancy Fisher. As part of the prize, Shaham will receive $75,000 and his name will be etched in a marble plaque in Avery Fisher Hall among the previous winners. These include Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Elmar Oliveira, Lynn Harrell, Sarah Change, Pamela Frank, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Edgar Meyer, Midori, and the Emerson String Quartet.

Shaham, who founded his own record label, Canary Classics, is a musician of high regard, with engagements New York, Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Berlin, London, and Munich. In August, he released a recording of Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50, with pianist Yefim Bronfman, and cellist Truls Mørk. His upcoming album will feature Elgar's Violin Concerto. His previous albums have won multiple Grammy Awards, a Grand Prix du Disque, a Diapason d'or, and the Gramophone Editor's Choice.

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