Leonidas Kavakos
(born 30 October 1967) is a Greek violinist. He has established himself as one of the most sought after young virtuoso violinists and appears regularly with leading orchestras and in recital throughout the world.
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LEONIDAS KAVAKOS TICKETS
EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
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Boston Symphony Orchestra: Karina Canellakis & Leonidas Kavakos - Beethoven, Brahms, Chausson & Ravel Tickets 8/24 | Aug 24, 2024 Sat, 8:00 PM | | Leonidas Kavakos Tickets 11/9 | Nov 09, 2024 Sat, 8:00 PM | | Leonidas Kavakos Tickets 11/10 | Nov 10, 2024 Sun, 5:00 PM | | Leonidas Kavakos: Bach's Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin Tickets 11/15 | Nov 15, 2024 Fri, 8:00 PM | | Leonidas Kavakos: Bach's Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin Tickets 11/16 | Nov 16, 2024 Sat, 8:00 PM | |
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Beginnings
Born in
Athens into a musical family, Kavakos began studying violin at five years old and continued his studies at the
Greek National Conservatoire with Stelios Kafantaris. An
Onassis Foundation scholarship enabled him to attend master classes with
Josef Gingold at
Indiana University. He made his concert debut at the
Athens Festival in 1984. In 1985, at age 18 (the youngest contestant), he won the
International Sibelius Competition in
Helsinki and in 1986 won silver medal in the Indianapolis International Violin Competition. He also took first prizes at the
Naumburg Competition in
New York (1988) and the Paganini Violin Competition (1988)—all by the age of 21.
Performances
America
His United States debut was in 1986 and, the following year, gave recitals at venues across the country. Kavakos now tours North America annually and works with numerous major orchestras, including the
Chicago, and
Montreal Symphony Orchestras.
Europe
In Europe, following his competition win in Helsinki, Kavakos' reputation spread quickly. He now works extensively in major concert halls across the continent, working with world class orchestras, including the
Berlin Philharmonic and the
Vienna Philharmonic. He has appeared at festivals such as the
Verbier Festival,
Salzburg Festival, where he first appeared in 1994, the
Lucerne Festival, and the Stars of White Nights Festival. He has appeared throughout the UK with numerous orchestras, starting in 1992 performing the
Stravinsky concerto at the
London Proms.
Asia
Kavakos made a highly successful Japanese debut in 1988 including a recital at Tokyo's Casals Hall and has since toured Japan with the
English Chamber Orchestra and given concerts with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and the New Japan Philharmonic.
Recordings
Having won the Sibelius contest, Kavakos went on to win another coveted distinction, once again working on Sibelius. He won the 1991 Gramophone Concerto of the Year Award for the world premiere release on the BIS label of the
Sibelius Violin Concerto in both its final version and in the original 1903/04, version. He has made various other recordings for Delos and Finlandia Records with works by composers such as
Debussy,
Paganini,
Schubert,
Tchaikovsky,
Wieniawski and
Ysaÿe.
2006 he recorded for Sony/BMG five violin concertos and one symphony by W.A.
Mozart as soloist and
conductor of the
Camerata Salzburg.
Chamber Music
Kavakos is also a keen chamber music performer, and presents his own chamber music festival annually in his home town of Athens as well as performing in many international festivals.
Conducting
Kavakos is also working as a conductor. He was announced principal guest artist of the Camerata Salzburg in 2001 and performed with them as a soloist and conductor. He is designated as artistic director of the Camerata Salzburg and will follow Sir
Roger Norrington 2007 in this position.
Instruments
Kavakos plays the "Falmouth"
Stradivarius of 1692, and a 1782 violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (Torino).