Born in Istanbul to parents of Armenian origins, Ida Kavafian studied at Juilliard with Oscar Shumsky, before making her debut through the Young Concert Artists series.
Ida Kavafian is a versatile artist. Internationally recognized as both a violinist and violist, she has led a life of many different careers. Member of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, former violinist of the Beaux-Arts Trio, co-founder of Bravo! Colorado Festival, of which she was Artistic Director for ten years, co-founder of the Opus One and Tashi chamber music ensembles, and an admired recitalist – you could truly say that she has done it all!
Among her many activities, it is worth mentioning her permanent support for contemporary creation. Ida Kavafian has thus premiered a number of new works, including concertos by Toru Takemitus and Michael Daugherty. But her interests do not stop at the borders of the classical world, and she has also participated in several recordings and/or tours with the great jazz artists Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis, as well as the unclassifiable Mark O’Connor.
Winner of a prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, Ida Kavafian has taught at the Curtis Institute of Music since 1998. In 2013, she was awarded the Lindback Foundation’s Outstanding Teacher Award. She also teaches at Juilliard and the Bard College Conservatory of Music.
