Violinist Leonidas Kavakos Awarded Gold Medal of the Greek Parliament

Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos was presented with the Gold Medal of Greece's Hellenic Parliament at a special ceremony presented by the Greek President Constantine Tassoulas.

While the award partially recognized Kavakos's outstanding contribution to the world of classical music and championing of Greek culture overseas, it also celebrated Kavakos' efforts to aid humanitarian causes.

Recently, Kavakos staged a benefit concert for Ukraine at the Athens Concert Hall. He was joined by friends and colleagues violist Elias Livieratos, cellist Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin, and pianist Vassilis Varvaressos for an all-Brahms program. The concert was attended by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greece's Ukrainian Ambassador.

"I want to express my gratitude and say a huge thank you to all of you who honored with your presence such a great cause," wrote Kavakos on social media following the April 14 Concert for Ukraine.

"This was an unforgettable evening of wonderful music making in a packed hall, all of us sending support to fellow humans in Ukraine, being attacked in their homeland but also stating the uncompromised importance of independence, freedom, democracy, human rights and ultimately human life," he added.

Born into a musical family in Athens, Greece, Kavakos curates an annual violin and chamber-music masterclass there. The Masterclass is open to professionals as well as young talented musicians alike and will be held this year from June 24-26, 2022, at the Athens Academy Building.

Additionally, Kavakos is a Carnegie Hall “Perspectives” Artist in 21/22, performing in multiple concerts this season, including one with pianist Yuja Wang, the North American premiere of a violin concerto by composer Unsuk Chin, and chamber music trio concerts with Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma.

Earlier this year, the Ax-Kavakos-Ma trio gave concerts at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and Stony Brook NY, in addition to their Carnegie Hall performance.

The trio also released their newest album, "Beethoven for Three" last month in which they play arrangements of Beethoven's second and fifth symphonies.