Kavafian, Ida
Kavafian, Ida
Kavafian, Ida , talented Turkish-born American violinist of Armenian descent, sister of Ani Kavafian; b. Istanbul, Oct. 29, 1952. She went with her family to the U.S. (1956), where she took up violin studies with Ara Zerounian in Detroit at the age of 6, and later received instruction from Mischakoff there. She entered the Juilliard School in N.Y. (1969), where she continued her training with Shumsky and Galamian (M.A., 1975). She won the Vianna da Motta International Violin Competition in Lisbon (1973) and the silver medal at the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (1982). She helped to found the chamber group Tashi (1973), and subsequently toured with it. She made her N.Y. recital debut (1978) and her European debut in London (1982), and also played in duo concerts with her sister. In 1988 she was awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant. In 1993 she became a member of the Beaux Arts Trio.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire