Jonian Ilias Kadesha

Violinist Jonian Ilias Kadesha has shown a knack for fresh programming. He has recorded for the CAvi-music and Linn labels. Kadesha was born in Athens in 1992 to parents who were Greek and Albanian. He was trained mostly in Germany, traveling there at a young age for studies at the Musikhochschule Würzburg. Kadesha went on to the Kronberg Academy near Frankfurt, graduating there with a master's degree in 2020. His principal teachers included Salvatore Accardo, Antje Weithaas, Ulf Wallin, and Grigori Zhislin. Kadesha also studied chamber music in Hannover, Germany, with the violist Hatto Beyerle, and he attended masterclasses with Ferenc Rados, Steven Isserlis, Ivry Gitlis, and Leonidas Kavakos, among others. Kadesha founded the Caerus Chamber Ensemble in 2017 and continues to perform with the group and serve as its artistic director. By the time he completed his degree at the Kronberg Academy, he was already an experienced recording artist, having issued two albums on the CAvi-music label; the first featured violin sonatas by Enescu, Ravel, and Nikolas Skalkottas. He also studied philosophy and has stated that this informs his playing. Kadesha has appeared as a soloist with various European orchestras, including the Tapiola Sinfonietta in Finland, the Slovenian Philharmonic, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. He is also in demand for appearances with smaller orchestras, such as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Aurora Orchestra, and the London Mozart Players. His career as a recitalist has taken him to such prestigious venues as Wigmore Hall in London, the Louvre in Paris, and the Berlin Philharmonie. Kadesha is an enthusiastic chamber musician; he is a member of the Kelemen Quartet and has collaborated with such world-class musicians as cellist Steven Isserlis and violinists Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Vilde Frang. Kadesha was signed to Linn Records and released the solo violin album Hommage à J.S.B. in 2022. He followed that up in 2024 with the album Suite italienne, featuring works by Vivaldi, Stravinsky, and contemporary composer Giovanni Sollima.
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