Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos is recognized as an artist of rare quality, known for his virtuosity, superb musicianship and the integrity of his playing.
By age 21, Kavakos had won three major competitions: the 1985 Sibelius Competition, and the 1988 Paganini and Naumburg competitions. He was the first to record the original Sibelius Violin Concerto (1903/4), which won the 1991 Gramophone Concerto of the Year Award.
Over the years, Kavakos has developed close relationships with some of the most prestigious orchestras and conductors. In 2017-18, he was Artist in Residence at both the Concertgebouw and the Vienna Musikverein and toured North America with Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax, performing Brahms and Schubert trios.
Kavakos is an exclusive artist with Decca Classics. Recent recordings include Virtuoso (2016), Brahms Violin Sonatas with Yuja Wang (2014), Brahms Violin Concerto with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Riccardo Chailly (2013), and the complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas with Enrico Pace (2013). He recorded the Brahms Trios with Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma, released on Sony Classical in September 2017.
Kavakos is the 2017 winner of the Léonie Sonning Music Prize and Gramophone Artist of the Year 2014. He plays the "Willemotte" Stradivarius violin of 1734.
