“He tackles virtuosic challenges with Messi-like ease — at times seeming to play two violins at once — all while preserving the depth and meaning of every note.”
— NRC Handelsblad
Artist in Residence 2019 – 2023
Young Conducting Talent of Belgium of the 3rd edition of Prima La Musica, selected by Dirk Brossé
Awarded 2nd Prize & Audience Prize at the 9th Windsor Festival International String Competition by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
Biography
Leon Blekh (b. 1999, Antwerp) is a Dutch violinist whose refined musicality and expressive artistry have established him as a rising figure in the European classical music scene. He began violin studies at the age of six with his father, himself a former student of the legendary David Oistrakh and Dorothy DeLay. At nine, Leon was admitted to the Young Talent Class at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, where he continued his early training.
From 2019 to 2023, Leon was an Artist in Residence at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo, studying under the mentorship of renowned violinist and conductor Augustin Dumay. As a soloist, he has performed in some of Europe’s leading concert halls, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and was invited to perform for the Belgian Royal Family at the Royal Palace in Brussels.
He has appeared with major orchestras such as the Residentie Orkest, the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, the Tbilisi State Symphony Orchestra, the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, and the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra. A laureate of numerous international competitions, Leon has won first prizes at the Iordens, Brueghel, Antwerp Soloists, and Belfius National Competitions. He was awarded third prize at the 2020 Oskar Back Violin Competition, and was a finalist at both the 2023 Henri Marteau and Ysaÿe Competitions. In 2024, he received second prize and the Audience Prize at the Windsor Festival International String Competition.
Leon has been featured at festivals including the Verbier Festival, Grachtenfestival, Delft Chamber Music Festival, Puigcerdà Festival, and Arte Amanti Festival. He has taken part in masterclasses with world-renowned violinists such as Shlomo Mintz, Sungsic Yang, Hagai Shaham, Felix Ayo, Barnabás Kelemen, Pavel Vernikov, Andrey Baranov, Gidon Kremer, and Mihaela Martin.
Alongside his violin career, Leon is also an emerging conductor. His passion for conducting began at the age of fifteen and has since become an integral part of his artistic identity. A pivotal moment came when Maestro Dirk Brossé selected him as Belgium’s Young Conducting Talent, which led to his collaboration with the chamber orchestra Prima La Musica. Leon refined his skills further through masterclasses with conductors such as Nikolay Alexeev, Roberto Benzi, Dirk Vermeulen, Ivo Venkov, Robin Engelen, Koen Kessels, and Luc Anthonis. He holds a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.
As a conductor, he has led ensembles including the Liège Philharmonic Orchestra, Prima La Musica, the Brussels and Antwerp Royal Conservatory Orchestras, the Master Chamber Orchestra, the String Ensemble of Wilrijk, and HVSO Groningen. Since 2023, he has served as principal conductor of Brussels Sinfonietta.
Leon performs on a 1793 Joseph Gagliano violin, generously on loan from an anonymous sponsor.
Schedule
Jef Neve & Leon Blekh
Brussels Sinfonietta
Program
E. Elgar – Serenade for strings in e minor, Op. 20
N. Rota – Concerto Per Archi
P.I. Tchaikovsky – Serenade for Strings, Op. 48: II.Waltz. Moderato
Leon Blekh, conductor
Jef Neve & Leon Blekh
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