Leonidas Kavakos
Leonidas Kavakos Named Principal Guest Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra
Music Director Thomas Søndergård and the Minnesota Orchestra announced today that conductor-violinist Leonidas Kavakos has been appointed the Orchestra’s principal guest conductor. Beginning in fall 2027, the three-year appointment will feature Kavakos in three weeks of subscription concerts each season, including conducting the Orchestra at least twice a season and appearing in additional concerts or artistic projects as soloist and chamber music collaborator. The Athens-born Kavakos has a long history with the Minnesota Orchestra, debuting with the Orchestra in 1995; he most recently appeared as soloist and conductor in October 2025 performances.
“We are very happy to welcome Leonidas Kavakos into this new role,” said Music Director Thomas Søndergård. “He is an artist of great integrity and creativity who will bring conviction, passion and interesting projects to our Orchestra and audiences. I know he will contribute substantially to the musical vitality of the organization, and I’m looking forward to our first collaboration.” Søndergård will lead concerts with Kavakos appearing as violin soloist in May 2028.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Minnesota Orchestra as its principal guest conductor,” said Leonidas Kavakos. “As a young music student still forming a musical identity, I was deeply inspired by the Minnesota Orchestra’s recordings with the legendary Dmitri Mitropoulos. The Orchestra produces a sound of rare warmth and flexibility, an element that has impressed me since my debut as a soloist in the 1990s. Through the years, it has been my great pleasure to share the stage with its wonderful musicians in all of our performances together, including at Carnegie Hall.
“I first conducted the Orchestra in 2023 and the rehearsals and performances were pure joy. I felt an immediate chemistry with my colleagues, and together we’ve found the sense of expressive freedom that every musician aims for. As principal guest conductor, I am tremendously looking forward to working more in depth with this fantastic Orchestra and creating powerful musical experiences for the city of Minneapolis. Finally, I want to express my gratitude to Music Director Thomas Søndergård, President and CEO Isaac Thompson, and Vice President of Artistic Planning Eric Finley, for their trust and support in welcoming me into the Minnesota Orchestra family!”
Kavakos made his performance debut with the Minnesota Orchestra in March 1995, playing the Stravinsky Violin Concerto. He returned over the next five years for 16 performances across the season and summer and has been a regular soloist ever since, including appearing with the Orchestra in performances of the Sibelius Violin Concerto at Carnegie Hall in May 2009. He first conducted the Minnesota Orchestra in a May 2023 program featuring Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 1. His most recent appearance, last October, saw him leading Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15.
“It has been 40 years since the Minnesota Orchestra has appointed a principal guest conductor, and we are thrilled to revisit the position with an artist of Leonidas Kavakos’ caliber and brilliance,” said President and CEO Isaac Thompson. “His connection to the Minnesota Orchestra runs deep, and a dynamic rapport clearly existed between him and the Orchestra when they collaborated last fall. I’m excited to see this tremendous potential unfold as Leonidas partners with Thomas Søndergård and the outstanding players of the Minnesota Orchestra.”
Historically, Leonard Slatkin held the principal guest conductor role from 1975 to 1979 and following him, Klaus Tennstedt served in the position from 1979 to 1982 and Charles Dutoit from 1983 to 1986.
“The musicians of the orchestra are delighted by this new chapter in our relationship with Leonidas Kavakos,” said violinist Emily Switzer, who serves as chair of the Minnesota Orchestra members Committee. “It’s been such a pleasure in recent seasons to experience his artistry as a conductor in addition to his charismatic violin playing. He is a uniquely imaginative and inspiring musician—our recent performance of Shostakovich’s thorny and experimental Symphony No. 15 under Kavakos’ direction was a musical highlight for many members of the Orchestra—and we look forward to all that this new partnership will bring.”