Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos was nominated for a Grammy Award this year following the release of a highly praised Beethoven symphony album in 2024.
The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy of the United States, honour outstanding achievements in the music industry and are considered one of the most prestigious awards worldwide.
Kavakos’s album Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 4 & Op. 97 “Archduke” (Sony Classical), recorded with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emmanuel Ax, has been nominated for Best Chamber/Small Ensemble Performance. Released in March, the album has garnered exceptional reviews. The three leading soloists also performed the work at a concert at the Herodion Theatre in June as part of the Athens-Epidavros Festival.
A Storied Career Leading to the Grammys
Born in Athens, Leonidas Kavakos has won several prestigious international violin competitions, including the Sibelius, Paganini, Naumburg, and Indianapolis competitions. He is also an Onassis Foundation scholar and has recorded for renowned labels such as Sony/BMG and BIS.
In addition to his work as a violinist, Kavakos has had an extensive career in conducting. He served as the artistic director of the Camerata Salzburg and has been a guest conductor with major orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
In 2016, Kavakos made headlines when he took the podium at Lincoln Center to conduct the New York Philharmonic, a significant moment for Greek musicians, as the last time a Greek conductor led the New York Philharmonic was in 1960, when Dimitris Mitropoulos performed the same role.
Other Notable Grammy Nominations
The 2025 Grammy Awards nominations were announced last Friday. Beyoncé, with 11 nominations, set a new record for the most Grammy nods in history, bringing her career total to 99. She is followed by Kendrick Lamar, Charli XCX, and Billie Eilish, who each received seven nominations. Despite her historic total, Beyoncé has yet to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Among the notable nominees are The Beatles, whose song Now and Then has been nominated for Record of the Year. The song, 45 years in the making, was initially recorded by John Lennon in the 1970s. After being rediscovered in the 1990s, advances in de-mixing technology allowed Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to finally finish the track, released on November 2, 2023. The song has been nominated in two categories for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, set to take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 2, 2025: Best Rock Performance and Record of the Year.
