Jascha Heifetz

Jascha Heifetz stands as the 20th-century violinist whose blistering technique, immaculate tone, and interpretive clarity set a benchmark for classical performance. Speakers aboard the Enterprise invoke Heifetz as an archetype of technical mastery; Data cites Heifetz explicitly as one of the principal models he precisely imitates when performing. As a referenced cultural authority within the series, Heifetz functions as a touchstone for debates about imitation versus invention in art, anchoring Data's musical development to an established human tradition of virtuosity and exacting craft.