Kavafian, Ida

talented Turkish-born American violinist of Armenian descent, sister of ANI KAVAFIAN; b. Istanbul, Oct. 29, 1952. In 1956 Kavafian went with her family to the U.S., where she took up violin studies in Detroit at the age of six. She entered the Juilliard School in N.Y. in 1969, where she continued her training, earning a Master of Arts degree in 1975.

Kavafian won the Vianna da Motta International Violin Competition in Lisbon in 1973 and the silver medal at the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 1982. She helped to found the chamber group Tashi in 1973, and subsequently toured with it. She made her N.Y. recital debut in 1978 and her European debut in London in 1982. She frequently played in duo concerts with her sister, Ani. In 1988 she was awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant, and in 1993 she became a member of the Beaux Arts Trio.