Biography

Violinist Kevin A. Lefohn maintains an international career as recital soloist, chamber musician and pedagogue. His performance and teaching have gained international prominence, with performances, pedagogical workshops, and masterclasses in Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States. In addition to frequent chamber music collaborations, his numerous recital performances with New Zealand pianist Terence Dennis have earned considerable acclaim. He is a National Recording Artist for Radio New Zealand Concert, most recently having recorded works of George Gershwin and Joseph Achron.

Lefohn received his Master’s degree in Violin Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he was the recipient of a full tuition scholarship to study with Dorothy DeLay, Piotr Milewski, and Kurt Sassmannshaus. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon with a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance, having studied with Kathryn Lucktenberg. While still a student, Lefohn participated in many seasons of the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he continued his studies with Dorothy DeLay and Kurt Sassmannshaus, as well as Philip Setzer of the Emerson String Quartet. As an experienced chamber musician, he has studied with members of both the Emerson and the Tokyo String Quartets.

“The soloist delivered a flawless performance full of beauty, wit, style and emotion which from start to finish had the audience in the edge of their seats. Fully deserved of the extended ovation given.”

-4Barsrest.com, UK

"There is a youthful freshness and vibrancy in Lefohn's playing, well complemented by fine technique. He is not afraid to take risks with his interpretations."

-The Star, New Zealand

"Lefohn's abilities as a barnstorming violin exponent were never in doubt, not even with Heifetz' show-offy figurations which he negotiated with intensity and spirit."

-Inkpot, Singapore

"Here is a group [University of Otago Trio] that has already made its impact in the south: three players of impressive skill and insight who play chamber music in the most persuasive manner – homogeneous yet with clear individuality."

-Wellington Dominion, New Zealand

In addition to his performance commitments, Lefohn has a strong passion for the technical and musical training of talented young string players and teachers. From 1995 through 1997, he was a member of the teaching faculties of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department and the Starling Preparatory String Project, an internationally renowned pre-college program for highly talented, promising young string players. He held the positions of Senior Lecturer in Violin and Director of the Marama Strings Project at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand from 1998 – 2007.

Lefohn’s pedagogical and entrepreneurial activities have included the development of major educational and performance-based projects as well as serving as jury member of major international violin competitions. In 1999, he founded the Marama Strings Project, one of the first programs of its type in Australasia. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Queenstown Violin Summer School, an internationally recognized summer school for advanced solo violin study in Queenstown, New Zealand. He was a member of the esteemed Jury of the 2005 Sion Valais International Violin Competition in Sion, Switzerland and served on the Semi-finalist Jury of the 2006 Michael Hill International Violin Competition, in Auckland, New Zealand. He currently holds the position of Executive Director of Portland Youth Philharmonic, Portland, Oregon.