Biography
Leila Josefowicz’s passionate advocacy of contemporary music for the violin is reflected in her diverse programmes and enthusiasm for performing new works. A favourite of living composers, Josefowicz has premiered many concertos — including those by Colin Matthews, Luca Francesconi, John Adams, and Esa-Pekka Salonen — all written specially for her.
Highlights of recent seasons include appearances with Berlin Philharmonic, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Dresden Philharmonie, Oslo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, NDR Elbphilharmonie, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, and The Philadelphia Orchestra She has collaboration with conductors at the highest level, including Matthias Pintscher, John Storgårds, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Louis Langrée, Hannu Lintu, and John Adams.
Josefowicz enjoyed a close working relationship with the late Oliver Knussen, performing various concertos, including his violin concerto, together over 30 times. Other works she has premiered include John Adams’s Scheherazade.2 with the New York Philharmonic, Matthias Pintscher’s Assonanza with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Luca Francesconi’s Duende – The Dark Notes with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Steven Mackey’s Beautiful Passing with the BBC Philharmonic.
Together with pianist John Novacek, with whom she has enjoyed a close collaboration since 1985, Josefowicz has performed recitals at world-renowned venues such as New York’s Zankel Hall and Park Avenue Armory, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center and Library of Congress, and London’s Wigmore Hall, as well as in Reykjavik, Trento, Bilbao, and Chicago.
In recognition of Leila Josefowicz’s outstanding achievement and excellence in music, she won the 2018 Avery Fisher Prize and was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2008, joining prominent scientists, writers, and musicians who have made unique contributions to contemporary life.