August 27, 2009

Meet Ani Kavafian

Violinist Ani Kavafian enjoys a prolific career as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. She has performed with virtually all of America’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and many others. Her numerous solo recital engagements include performances at New York’s Carnegie and Alice Tully halls, as well as in major venues across the country.

In the 2008-09 season, Ani Kavafian continues her association as an artist member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center with a number of appearances in NYC and around the United States. She also performs as soloist and as guest concertmaster of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Recently, Ms. Kavafian was appointed concertmaster of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. In the summer of 2009, she participates in the Heifetz International Music Institute, Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, Norfok Chamber Music Festival, Great Lakes Festival, the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, and Music from Angel Fire Festival.

Kavafian appears frequently with her sister, violinist and violist Ida Kavafian. Together they have performed with the symphonies of Detroit, Colorado, Tucson, San Antonio, and Cincinnati, and have recorded the music of Mozart and Sarasate on the Nonesuch label. They celebrated the 25th anniversary of their first performance together at Carnegie Hall in the fall of 2008.

With violist Barbara Wesphal and cellist Gustav Rivinius, she is a member of the Trio da Salo, and has teamed with clarinetist David Shifrin and pianist Andre-Michel Schub to form the Kavafian-Schub-Shifrin Trio, with whom she tours frequently. With cellist Carter Brey, she is co-artistic director of the New Jersey 10 concert chamber music series "Mostly Music."

Kavafian has premiered and recorded a number of works written for her, including Henri Lazarof’s Divertimento for Violin and String Orchestra with the Seattle Symphony; Tod Machover’s concerto, Forever and Ever, for computerized violin and orchestra, with the Boston Modern; and Michelle Ekizian’s Red Harvest with the Brooklyn Philharmonic. In addition, Kavafian gave the west coast premiere of Aaron Kernis’ Double Concerto for Violin and Guitar, with Sharon Isbin and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Ani Kavafian has received the Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions award, has appeared at the White House on three separate occasions, and has been featured on many network and PBS television music specials. Her recordings can be heard on the Nonesuch, RCA, Columbia, Arabesque, and Delos labels. Kavafian and Kenneth Cooper have recorded Bach’s Six Sonatas for Violin and Fortepiano on Kleos Classics of Helicon Records. A recording of string trios by Mozart and Beethoven by the Trio da Salo has been released, also on Kleos. Mozart Piano and Violin Sonatas with pianist Jorge Federico Osario was recently released by Artek.

Born in Istanbul, Turkey of Armenian heritage, Kavafian began piano lessons at the age of three. At age nine, in the United States, she began the study of the violin with Ara Zerounian and went on to study violin at the Juilliard School with Ivan Galamian, eventually receiving a master’s degree with highest honors. Ms. Kavafian is Professor of Violin at Yale University. She plays the 1736 Muir McKenzie Stradivarius violin.

Ani with be performing with ProMusica on January 9 at 5:30 pm and January 10 at 7:00 pm. Both performances will be at the Southern Theatre. To purchase tickets click here.