Internationally known as both a violinist and a violist, Ida Kavafian has created a rich and varied career. With a repertoire as diverse as her talents, Ms. Kavafian has electrified recital and orchestral stages nationally and internationally, and her commitment to contemporary music has led to many world premieres by composers as varied as Toru Takemitsu, who wrote a concerto for her, and jazz greats Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis, which whom she has toured and recorded. Since her founding membership in the innovative group TASHI over thirty years ago, Ms. Kavafian’s chamber music appearances have included many renowned festivals and series throughout the world. Besides serving as violinist of the famed Beaux Arts Trio, she has also toured and recorded with the Guarneri Quartet and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. In addition to solo and chamber recitals, orchestral appearances, and duos with her sister Ani, she has guided the extraordinary success of two major festivals: Bravo! in Vail and Music from Angel Fire in New Mexico.

Born in Istanbul, Turkey of Armenian descent, Ms. Kavafian’s family immigrated to the United States when she was three, settling in Detroit. She began her studies at age six with Ara Zerounian, continuing with Mischa Mischakoff, and ultimately earned her Master of Music degree with honors from The Juilliard School. Ms. Kavafian made her New York debut at the 92nd Street "Y" with pianist Peter Serkin as a winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions. She was a recipient of the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1988. Ida Kavafian resides in Connecticut and Philadelphia, where she and her husband, violist Steven Tenenbom, can be found passionately pursuing their hobby of breeding, training and showing prize winning champion Hungarian Vizsla dogs under the kennel name, "Opus One Vizslas".  Excelling as much in this area as in music, they bred and own the 2003 Number One Vizsla in the country.