Midori Receives Honorary Doctorate from Yale University (May 2012)

Violinist Midori was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree (Mus.D.) by Yale University on Monday, 21 May 2012, in recognition of her accomplishments as musician, educator, and community engagement activist. Since 1702, Yale has conferrred honorary degrees in order to recognize individuals of extraordinary accomplishment and service.

“It is thrilling to receive this honorary doctorate from Yale University,” says Midori, “and it is truly humbling to contemplate the company I’m in! I started out playing music because of the joy it brings to our lives, but in my work I am also discovering every day the power music has to heal, to educate, to stimulate the human mind in multiple dimensions. It is deeply gratifying and inspiring to know that Yale recognizes and values this work.”

Among Midori’s fellow recipients of Yale’s honorary degrees in the 310 years since the inception of the program are Benjamin Franklin (1753), Noah Webster (1823), Samuel F.B. Morse (1846), Charles Ives (1874), Nikola Tesla (1894), Ignace Jan Paderewski (1917), Marie Curie (1921), Willa Cather (1929), Fiorello LaGuardia (1940), Felix Frankfurter (1961), Jean Piaget (1970), Stephen Hawking (1989), Mario Vargas Llosa (1994) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2003).