About the Tarumi Violin Children’s Foundation for the Arts
The Tarumi Violin Program, founded in 1986, is composed of talented youngsters of varied ethnic and racial backgrounds form the Greater New York Metropolitan area. Under the dynamic leadership of YUKAKO TARUMI, these motivated young musicians are spreading a message of love and world peace through the universal language of music.
This culturally diverse group had the rare distinction of performing five times in U.N. General Assembly Hall, in 1996, they were awarded the United Nations 50th Anniversary Medal by former Secretary General Boutros Ghali in recognition of their accomplishments and efforts to promote world harmony. The Tarumi Violinists have also performed more than ten times for the Peace Bell Ceremony in front of the former Secretary General Kofi Annan and other dignitaries and these performances include the performance in the year 2000 Peace Bell ceremony marking the opening of the United Nations millennium summit. 
Amongst the other world leaders for whom they have performed are former President Clinton, at a White House holiday celebration, and Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. At that time they taped a concert for the Vatican Radio Station which was broadcast three times around the world.
The international travels of this talented group include five trips to Japan on “International Friendship Tours”, where they performed for UNICEF, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, the Nursing Home for the Survivors of the Atomic Bomb and for the orphans and homeless of the Kobe earthquake. In northern Spain, they performed as guests of the Spanish Government and the University Of Santiago De Comopostela, as the University celebrated its 500 year anniversary. They were also honored to perform at the Academy Philharmonic of Rome, the oldest school of music in Rome, which boasts of guest performers that include Debussy, Rossini, Korsakov, and Casals. In June, 2000, the ensemble traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they performed at the opening ceremonies of the International Rotary Convention for over 30,000 attendees. While there, they also had the honor of meeting and performing for the Argentinian President, Hoya de la Rua. That same summer, they embarked on a concert tour of Taiwan, performing twelve concerts in a nine-day period, and have been invited to return for an additional concert tour in the summer 2002.
In this country, the Tarumi Violinists have performed in numerous distinguished venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, at the State and City official celebrations of Israel’s 50th anniversary, hosted respectively by Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani, at 
NYC’s centennial celebration in Flushing Meadows Park, and, on several occasions, at the Dance Theater of Harlem in programs hosted by Arthur Mitchell. They have gained further public recognition through performances for Manhattan Cable Television, Cable Television of Great Neck and as featured performers with the Riverside Orchestra, Queensborough Orchestra, the North Shore Symphony, the Great Neck Philharmonic, the Band of Long Island, Queens Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra Celebrate.
The children have also used their talents to support worthy charities by participating in benefits for organizations such as UNICEF, the Coalition for the Homeless, and the Ronald McDonald House, and have performed at numerous nursing homes, hospitals, and schools for disabled children. Just three days after the tragedy at the World Trade Center, they responded to a request of the United Nations to participate in a moving ceremony at which Secretary General Kofi Annan and other UN officials mourned the devastating loss of life, and made speeches of condolence and support. Two weeks later, the children performed for NYC firefighters to honor them for their acts of bravery and to bring them some relief from the daily horror.
Their performances and the activities for spreading the message of world peace continue. They have received “Proclamation” from Senator Frank Padavan in April, 2004. They also had concert tours in China, Sweden, Portugal, and Italy. In 2004, they performed twice for Queen of Sweden, once in New York, and the other in Sweden. Moreover, in the summer, 2006, the Tarumi Violinists had a “World Peace” concert tour with United Nations Singers for the mission of spreading the message of world peace. They also performed for “Earth day” and “Day of African Child”, and “Peace Day”, all for the United Nations.
The most recent performance was the Memorial Concert for 9/11 victims at Poppenhusen Institute in College Point on September 9th, 2007. Also, on September 21st, 2007, they have performed for the Peace Day at the United Nations in front of the Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
The enthusiasm and focus of this group are direct consequences of the energy and dedication of its leader, Yukako Tarumi. Ms. Tarumi, who has won many competitions, came to the United States to study with the world renowned violin teacher Professor Josef Gingold. Prior to that, she had studied with Professors Akiko Tatsumi and Saburo Sumi at Toho, the famous music conservatory of Japan. Ms. Tarumi imparts to her students not only a passion for music but a genuine caring for their development as musicians and human beings. Her students, in turn, have chosen to use their musical talents to bring joy to others.
The Tarumi Violinists have rightfully been labeled by the media as “Musical Ambasadors of Peace.”