User:Wikibubbles/Ilmar Lopez-Gavilan

Ilmar López Gavilán is a renowned Cuban born violinist. He is also the first violinist of the New York-based Harlem Quartet, an ensemble composed of first-place laureates of the Sphinx Competition.

Biography
Born in Havana, Gavilán began his violin studies at age at age 6. In 1988 he moved to Moscow with his late mother, pianist Teresita Junco to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Maia Glizarova.

In 1992, he received a scholarship to study in Madrid at the Queen's Academy Reina Sofía under Zakhar Bron where he graduated with honors in 1994. In 1995 he moves to Los Angeles, USA. | author = | title = | publisher = | url = |

In 1999 he moves to New York City to study with Glenn Dicterow, Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. Other teachers and Master Classes include: Isaac Stern,, Itzhak Perlman and Yehudi Menuhin.

Career
Gavilán's recent soloist highlights include appearances with the Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Denver, Phoenix and Saint Louis Symphonies.

Gavilán has been invited to appear as soloist with some of the most prominent orchestras in Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Spain, Portugal, and Moscow. Mr. Gavilan won First Prize at the Sphinx Competition, top honors at the Lipinsky-Wieniaswsky International Violin Competition in Poland, and the International Henryk Szeryng Violin Competition. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2006 and has been invited to come back every year since.

He has been featured with the Doc Severinsen ensemble in several occasions and in 2009 he was invited to play at the Library of Congress with the Harlem Quartet using original Antonio Stradivarius instruments. Later that year was invited to play for President Obama and First Lady in the White House.

Personal life
Ilmar's father, Guido López-Gavilán is a composer and conductor in Havana. His late mother was Teresita Junco, a piano professor at the Havana Conservatory. His younger brother is Aldo López-Gavilán, a recording artist and composer.

In 2005 he married Seojin Yang, an accomplished Korean cellist, and in 2008 they had a baby girl, Leah and in 2010 a baby boy, Ian. They now reside in New York City.

Discography
Gavilán Performs Gavilán (2009) Take the A Train (2007) with the Harlem String Quartet Eddie Palmieri Ritmo Caliente (2003) Aires y Leyendas (2002) Cuban All Stars (1998)

Awards
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 * Pablo Casals Award, Manhatthan School of Music
 * Sphinx Gold Medal
 * Laureate at the Lipinski- Wieniawsky competition
 * Laureate at the Henrik Schering competition