Ida Kavafian

Ida Kavafian(Armenian:Այտա Գավաֆեան) (born October 29, 1952, inIstanbul) is an Americanclassicalviolinistandviolist.

Biography

Kavafian was born inTurkeytoArmenianparents. She moved with her family to America in 1956, and began studying violin inDetroitat age six. Her teachers includedAra Zerounian,Mischa Mischakoff,Oscar Shumsky,andIvan Galamian,the last two of which she studied under while attending theJuilliard Schoolfrom 1969 to 1975. Her first major exposure came when she won theVianna da MottaInternational Violin Competition inLisbonin 1973. She won theYoung Concert Artists International Auditionsin 1978 which led to her New York recital debut atCarnegie Hall.That same year she became a member of theTashiensemble withPeter Serkin,who also accompanied her for her New York solo debut. She was awarded the silver medal (second place) at the inauguralInternational Violin Competition of Indianapolisin 1982.

She began performing with her sister,Ani Kavafian,in 1983, when the pair played together atCarnegie Hall.In 1983-84 she toured withChick Corea.A member of the Chamber Music Society from 1989 to 1993 and from 1996 to 2002, she played with theBeaux Arts Triofrom 1992 to 1998 and sporadically thereafter. She founded her own group, Opus One, in 1998, withSteven Tenenbom,Anne-Marie McDermottandPeter Wiley.She teaches at theCurtis Institute of Music,theJuilliard Schooland theBard College Conservatory of Music.She plays aJ. B. Guadagniniviolin made inMilanin 1751, and a Moes and Moes viola, made in 1987.

Kavafian's repertory includesclassicaland earlyromanticworks byMozart,Beethoven,andMendelssohn,as well as20th centuryworks ofRuth Crawford Seeger,Charles Wuorinen,andToru Takemitsu.Takemitsu has composed a concerto for Kavafian. She is also the founder of two prestigious music festivals: theBravo! Vail Valley Music Festivaland theMusic from Angel Fire.

Discography

WithJudith Blegen,Frederica von Stadeand theChamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

• Judith Blegen and Frederica von Stade: Songs, Arias and Duets(Columbia, 1975)

WithTashi

• Messiaen:Quartet for the End of Time(RCA Red Seal ARL1-1567, 1976)

WithChick Corea

• The Leprechaun (album with Chick Corea - Piano, Ida Kavafian - Violin)(Polydor, 1976)
• Children's Songs (album with Chick Corea - Piano, Fred Sherry - Cello, and Ida Kavafian - Violin)(ECM, 1984)
• Septet(ECM, 1984)

WithBeaux Arts Trio

• Hummel Piano Trios(Philips, 289 446 077-2)
• Arensky Piano Trios(Philips, 289 442 127-2)

WithGuarneri Quartet

• Mozart String Quintets Nos. 1, 3, 4, and 6(RCA/Sony, 88691918042)

WithMark O'Connor

• Mark O'Connor String Quartets Nos. 2 & 3(Omac, 2009)

References

Footnotes

General references

• Ida KavafianatChamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
• Ida KavafianatAllmusic