Leonidas Kavakos

Leonidas Kavakos is a Greek violinist from Athens who first began playing the instrument at age five, eventually continuing his studies at the prestigious Hellenic Conservatory. In 1985, at age 18, he won the International Sibelius Competition in Helsinki (making him the youngest contestant to do so) and in 1988 he won the Paganini Violin Competition. Having since gone on to maintain an impressive conducting career as well as a busy international touring schedule, Kavakos is regarded by many as one of the more talentedviolinists of his generation.