Violinist Ani Kavafian is in great demand as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher. She has performed with virtually all of America’s leading orchestras and her numerous recital engagements include performances at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis and the Krannert Center in Illinois.
As a chamber musician Ms. Kavafian has appreared around the country with her sister, violinist Ida Kavafian. Together they have performed with prestigious symphonies and recorded the music of Mozart and Sarasate on the Nonesuch label. Ani Kavafian is an Artist Member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, touring with them throughout the U.S. and Canada, in addition to performing in their regular series at New York’s Alice Tully Hall. She is a member of the da Salo String Trio with violist Barbara Westphal and cellist Gustav Rivinius.

Ani Kavafian gave the world premiere of Michelle Ekizian’s Red Harvest: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, written for her and performed with the Brooklyn Philharmonic. She also gave the world premiere performances of Tod Machover’s Concerto for Hyper Violin and Orchestra with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Henri Lazarof’s Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra with the American Composers Orchestra in Carnegie Hall. She recorded the latter with the Seattle Symphony. Ms. Kavafian’s list of prestigious awards includes the Avery Fisher Prize and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions.

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, of Armenian decent, Ani Kavafian began her musical studies with piano lessons at the age of three. At age nine, shortly after her family moved to the United States, she began the study of the violin with Ara Zerounian and, at 16, won first prize in both the piano and violin competitions at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. Two years later, she began violin studies at the Juilliard School with Ivan Galamian, eventually receiving a Master’s Degree with top honors. Ms. Kavafian is a member of the faculty of McGill University in Montreal.

Ms. Kavafian resides in New York with her husband, artist Bernard Mindich, and their son, Matthew. She plays a 1736 Muir McKenzie Stradivarius violin.