Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos has been named the Minnesota Orchestra’s principal guest conductor, the first person to hold that position in 40 years.
“As a young music student still forming a musical identity, I was deeply inspired by the Minnesota Orchestra’s recordings with the legendary Dimitri Mitropoulos,” Kavakos said in a news release. “The orchestra produces a sound of rare warmth and flexibility, an element that has impressed me since my debut as a soloist in the 1990s.”
A native of Athens, Kavakos has been a regular soloist since 1995. He first conducted the orchestra in a May 2023 program featuring Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 1. His most recent appearance, in October, saw him leading Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15.
Beginning in fall 2027, the three-year appointment will feature Kavakos in three weeks of subscription concerts each season, including conducting the orchestra at least twice a season. He’ll also appear in additional concerts and artistic projects as soloist or chamber music collaborator.
Kavakos has performed with and led orchestras around the world, including the New York Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Barcelona Symphony. In 2022, he founded the ApollΩn Ensemble, a chamber group of Greek musicians.
Leonard Slatkin held the principal guest conductor role from 1975 to 1979, followed by Klaus Tennstedt from 1979 to 1982 and Charles Dutoit from 1983 to 1986.
“We are very happy to welcome Leonidas Kavakos into this new role,” said music director Thomas Søndergård. “He is an artist of great integrity and creativity who will bring conviction, passion and interesting projects to our orchestra and audiences.”
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