World-renowned violinist Leila Josefowicz returns to Lithuania. "Her virtuosity floats on waves of joyful energy" – this is how the Los Angeles Times wrote about her. The Canadian-born, US-based violin virtuoso will perform in a concert with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer – a prominent American conductor known for his ability to interpret both classical repertoire and contemporary music at the highest level and with equal persuasiveness. The concert will take place on October 22 at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic.
"Her virtuosity is extraordinary, but even more stunning is her power of expression," the Los Angeles Times emphasized regarding both Leila Josefowicz's excellent technique and her compelling artistry. The violinist's path to world stages began very early. Considered a child prodigy, she began learning the violin at just three years old, and at thirteen, she entered the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. At sixteen, Leila made her debut at New York's Carnegie Hall with the legendary Academy of St Martin in the Fields orchestra and Sir Neville Marriner, after which she immediately signed her first exclusive recording contract with Philips Classics and began her international career.
Today, Leila Josefowicz is a sought-after violinist in the world's most famous concert halls and festivals, performing with top-tier orchestras in Europe, North America, and Asia. She is regularly invited to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Konzerthaus Berlin, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the London, Dresden, Oslo, Helsinki, and Elbphilharmonie orchestras, the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and other prestigious ensembles. The performer collaborates with the most prominent conductors of our time – Esa-Pekka Salonen, Paavo Järvi, Susanna Mälkki, Louis Langrée, Hannu Lintu, John Storgårds, Matthias Pintscher, Cristian Măcelaru, Thomas Søndergård, Dalia Stasevska, and John Adams himself.
The 2025–2026 season was also particularly fruitful for the violin virtuoso: she performed the world premiere of Jüri Reinvere's Concerto for Violin, Harp, and Orchestra with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Franz Welser-Möst, and performed with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Warsaw Philharmonic, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, and other famous ensembles.
Alongside classical masterpieces, contemporary music holds an important place in the violinist's work. L. Josefowicz passionately promotes impressive contemporary works, constantly including them in her creative programs, which has earned her an exceptional reputation as one of the most prominent interpreters of contemporary violin music. Composers such as John Adams, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Thomas Adès, Luca Francesconi, Colin Matthews, and others have written and dedicated works specifically to her. The violin virtuoso's repertoire also features great classical masterpieces: violin concertos by J. Brahms, L. van Beethoven, F. Mendelssohn, A. Dvořák, J. Sibelius, M. Bruch, B. Bartók, and A. Berg, J. S. Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin, and the virtuosic works of N. Paganini and H. Wieniawski.
The career of the concert's conductor, Jonathan Stockhammer, is also impressive. A charismatic conductor who captivates audiences, he enriches every piece he undertakes with his interpretive sensitivity and theatrical intuition. Possessing a broad creative horizon and having earned international recognition, the master of the baton is regularly invited to conduct the London Symphony, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Oslo Philharmonic, Dresden Staatskapelle, Czech Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and other top-caliber ensembles. He is also a welcome guest at major European festivals – Salzburg, Lucerne, Venice Biennale, Wien Modern, and others. Contemporary composers value Stockhammer as an exceptionally flexible, highly insightful, and experienced creative partner capable of giving new works a compelling artistic form.
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