Leonidas Kavakos Returns To Houston As Conductor And Violin Soloist, 10/28

Internationally-acclaimed violin virtuoso Leonidas Kavakos returns to Houston to lead and perform Bach's Violin Concerto at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28; 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, at Jones Hall.

Kavakos began his rise to stardom at the age of 21 as the winner of three major international music competitions: the Sibelius (1985), Paganini (1988) and Naumburg (1988). His early career success led to his recording the original Sibelius Violin Concerto, the first recording of this work in history, which won him the Gramophone Concerto of the Year Award in 1991. More than two decades later, he won the Gramophone Artist of the Year Award in 2014.

Kavakos will open the program with a performance of Bach's exquisite Violin Concerto in A minor. He will then lead the orchestra in Brahms' searching Symphony No. 4 and Mozart's Symphony No. 36, the first of the composer's great final symphonies. In addition to appearing with the Houston Symphony this season, Kavakos will also perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra, embark on a recital tour with pianist Yuja Wang in both Europe and the U.S., undertake a European tour with the Budapest Festival Orchestra and tour Switzerland with the Mariinsky Orchestra.

Kavakos, who made his United States debut in 1986, now tours North America annually and works with numerous major orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra. Kavakos is the Artist-in-Residence at the New York Philharmonic for the 2016-17 season, which will feature him in solo, play-conduct and recital performances.

The concert will take place at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana Street, in Houston's Theater District. For tickets and information, please call (713) 224-7575 or visitwww.houstonsymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center in Jones Hall (Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). All programs and artists are subject to change.

KAVAKOS PLAYS AND CONDUCTS

Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, at 2:30 p.m.
Leonidas Kavakos, violin and leader

Bach: Violin Concerto

Mozart: Symphony No. 36

Brahms: Symphony No. 4

Tickets from $25

About Leonidas Kavakos
Leonidas Kavakos is recognized as a violinist and artist of rare quality, known for his virtuosity, superb musicianship and the integrity of his playing. By age 21, Kavakos had already won three major competitions: the Sibelius (1985), Paganini, and Naumburg competitions (1988). This success led to his recording the original Sibelius Violin Concerto (1903/4), the first recording of this work in history. It won Gramophone Concerto of the Year Award in 1991.

Kavakos has developed close relationships with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Eschenbach/Chailly), Berliner Philharmoniker (Rattle), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Jansons/Gatti), London Symphony Orchestra (Gergiev/Rattle), and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (Chailly); and, in the USA, with the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and Philadelphia Orchestra.

Kavakos is the Artist-in-Residence at the New York Philharmonic for the 2016-17 season, which will feature him in solo, play-conduct, and recital performances. He also appears as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and play-conducts the Houston Symphony, as well as embarks on a recital tour with pianist Yuja Wang in both Europe and the U.S. Other highlights include a European tour with the Budapest Festival Orchestra and a tour to Switzerland with the Mariinsky Orchestra.

Kavakos has built a strong profile as a conductor and has worked with the Atlanta, Boston, London, Vienna Symphony Orchestras, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and Budapest Festival Orchestra. This season, Kavakos makes conducting debuts with the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

An exclusive recording artist with Decca Classics, Kavakos' first release on the label, the complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas with Enrico Pace (January 2013), resulted in the ECHO Klassik award 'Instrumentalist of the Year', followed by the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Riccardo Chailly (October 2013), and Brahms Violin Sonatas with Yuja Wang (March 2014). His most recent recording Virtuoso was released in April 2016. His earlier discography includes recordings for BIS, ECM, and Sony Classical. Kavakos was named Gramophone Artist of the Year 2014.

Leonidas Kavakos plays the 'Abergavenny' Stradivarius violin of 1724.

About the Houston Symphony
During the 2016-17 season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its third season with Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada, and continues its second century as one of America's leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, the full-time ensemble of 87 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony's four Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 900 community-based performances each year, reaching thousands of people in Greater Houston. For tickets and more information, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.

(Photo Credit: Marco Borggreve)