Leonidas Kavakos
violin
Leonidas Kavakos is recognized across the world as an artist of rare quality. Acclaimed for his captivating artistry, superb musicianship, matchless technique and the integrity of his playing and interpretations, Kavakos performs with the world’s leading orchestras as both soloist and conductor, and in recital at the world’s premier venues. In 2022, he founded the ApollΩn Ensemble, a chamber group of elite Greek musicians who are in increasing demand internationally and in 2025 he takes over as the artistic director of the “Classic Revolution” Festival at Lotte Concert Hall, Seoul.
Highlights of Kavakos’ 2025-26 season include performances with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, NHK Symphony, NDR Symphony, Santa Cecilia, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and conducting engagements with Czech Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Barcelona Symphony and Minnesota Orchestra. Kavakos is also artist in residence at the Dallas Symphony this season where he will appear as both a soloist and conductor. He appears in recital in London, Milan, Oslo, Budapest, Zagreb and elsewhere; with the ApollΩn Ensemble, he performs at the Edinburgh International, Verbier and Santander festivals, London’s Wigmore Hall and Vienna’s Musikverein.
As a conductor, Kavakos has appeared with many of the world’s most distinguished orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Dallas Symphony and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, where he made his North American conducting debut. In Europe, Kavakos has conducted the Vienna Symphony, London’s Philharmonia, London Symphony, Czech Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Danish National Symphony, Dresden Staatskapelle, Israel Philharmonic, Barcelona Symphony, Bayerischer Rundfunk and Chamber Orchestra of Europe, among others. Beginning in the 2027-28 season, Kavakos will be the principal guest conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra.
Kavakos’ extensive and award-winning discography includes the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Riccardo Chailly (Decca), and the Beethoven Violin Concerto, which he also conducted with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Sony Classical). He was named ECHO Klassik Instrumentalist of the Year for his recording of the complete Beethoven Sonatas with Enrico Pace. With Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma, Kavakos has released a series of trio recordings to the highest critical acclaim. With the ApollΩn Ensemble, he has recorded Bach’s Violin Concertos.
Kavakos curates an annual violin and chamber music masterclass in Athens, where he was born and brought up in a musical family. In 2022, he was elected by the Academy of Athens as a member of the Chair of Music in the Second Class of Letters and Fine Arts for his services to music. In 2024, he was appointed professor of violin at the Basel Academy of Music. Kavakos plays the ‘Willemotte’ Stradivari violin of 1734.
