The Greek-born violinist will assume his new role in autumn 2025
The international violin soloist Leonidas Kavakos has been appointed professor of violin at the Department of Classical Music at the Basel Academy of Music, part of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). He will take up his new role from the autumn term of 2025.
The Greek star violinist has been closely associated with the Basel Academy’s Institut Klassik for more than ten years, giving regular masterclasses there.
As a teacher Kavakos has given masterclasses at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, UK, and hosts an annual masterclass in Athens, Greece, for violinists and chamber musicians.
In his early career, Kavakos won numerous competitions including the Sibelius, Premio Paganini, Naumburg and Indianapolis. He has worked with orchestras all over the world including the Berlin and Vienna philharmonics, the London Symphony and Royal Concertgebouw orchestras, as well as appeared at such festivals as Verbier, Salzburg and the BBC Proms. As a chamber musician, he tours with his regular trio partners, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emanuel Ax. He has been nominated for several Grammy awards.
As a conductor, Kavakos has worked with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, and Vienna Symphony. He was the artistic director of the Camerata Salzburg from 2007 to 2009. He plays the 1714 ‘Willemotte’ Stradivari.
Read: Leonidas Kavakos: Deep thinker
Read: Masterclass: Leonidas Kavakos on Brahms Violin Concerto, first movement
Watch: Kavakos, Ma and Ax: a legendary trio performs Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
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