The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrated its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala, featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman and Shlomo Mintz, begun with a touching speech of Isaac Stern looking back on the early days of the orchestra.