Leonidas Kavakos (born 30 October 1967) (Greek: Λεωνίδας Καβάκος) 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. He is also called "The Violinist of Violinists" （http://www.thestrad.com/nStory.asp?id=1127） refering to him as being one of the most important violinsts when judged by his peers.
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.
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. For his recording as conductor and soloist of the Mendelssohn Violinkonzert e-Moll op. 64 with the Camerata he was awarded with the "ECHO-Klassik 2009" prize in the category "recording of the year - concerts - 19th century - violin". [3]
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 followed Sir Roger Norrington 2007 in this position. On Juli 1st 2009 he announced that he would (due to organisational conflicts with the yearly changing management of the Camerata)[4] leave the Camerata as artistic director in fall 2009.
Instruments
Kavakos plays the "Falmouth" Stradivarius of 1692, and a 1782 violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (Torino).
http://www.intermusica.co.uk/artists/Violin-Viola/Leonidas-Kavakos/biography
http://www.thestrad.com/nStory.asp?id=1127
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