Leonidas Kavakos - Sibelius violin concerto (2 versions)

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.

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.

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.
Kavakos plays the "Falmouth" Stradivarius of 1692, and an 1872 violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (Torino).

Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor (Original Version); Violin Concerto in D minor

Performer: Leonidas Kavakos
Orchestra: Lahti Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Osmo Vänskä
Composer: Jean Sibelius
Audio CD (November 23, 1992)
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Import
Label: Bis
ASIN: B0000016GW

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