Violinist and conductor Leonidas Kavakos will be in conversation with Εlias Kanellis on Thursday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m., as part of the series of public discussions “They, Too, Are Greece — Conversations at the Athens Conservatory.”

It will be a wide-ranging conversation with the most popular and creative contemporary Greek musician in the world. His introduction to music, his early beginnings, his dedication, his creative passion, the musician’s obsessions, the orchestras, the daily life of a celebrity, managing success, and his relationship with Greece are just a few of the aspects of Leonidas Kavakos’s life that we will attempt to uncover.

This conversation brings to a close the first series of events and public discussions featuring prominent figures in public life who have left their creative mark. The events are a co-production of The Books’ Journal and the Athens Conservatory.

Leonidas Kavakos was born in Athens in 1967 and began learning the violin at the age of 5. He gave his first concert in 1984 at the Athens Festival, and the following year he won the “Jean Sibelius” Competition in Finland. Since then, he has given countless concerts around the world. He belongs to the small group of musicians who combine technical precision, deep musical thought, and a strong personal interpretive identity. The prestigious and popular British music magazine The Strad rightly dubbed him “The Violinists’ Violinist.” The culmination of this creative life is his collaboration with distinguished orchestras and conductors, featuring hundreds of recordings and thousands of concerts. At the same time, he has pursued a parallel career as a conductor and orchestra director, having led some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras. He has also served as artistic director of major ensembles: the Salzburg Camerata, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 2015, he served as artistic director of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra.

Leonidas Kavakos is recognized worldwide for combining the flawless technique of a virtuoso with the philosophical mind of an experienced conductor, making each of his performances a deeply spiritual experience for the audience.

The event is open to the public and admission is free.