Around the Music Festival

The Minnesota Orchestra, based in Minneapolis, has announced that Greek violinist and conductor Leonidas Kavakos will join as Principal Guest Conductor. His tenure will span three seasons, beginning with the 2026/2027 season.

Kavakos is a 58-year-old native of Athens. Raised in a musical family, he studied at the Athens Conservatory before moving to the United States to further his studies at Indiana University.

He won first prize at the 1985 Sibelius International Violin Competition as its youngest winner, took second prize at the 1986 Indianapolis International Violin Competition, and at age 21 in 1988, won first prize at the Naumburg Competition in New York and the Paganini International Competition in Genoa, continuing his worldwide career.

He began his conducting career in the 2000s. He has continued to guest conduct with renowned orchestras worldwide. From 2007 to 2009, he served as Artistic Director of Camerata Salzburg. He also holds the position of violin professor at the Basel Music Academy in Switzerland.

PHOTO：Jan-Olav Wedin