Alexis Cárdenas

Alexis Cárdenas (*Maracaibo, 1976) is considered one of the most important violinists in Latin America; he currently serves as concertmaster of the Orchestre National Ile de France in Paris. Winner of prestigious international competitions, he began his studies at the age of 9 in his hometown. He continued his academic training at the Julliard School of Music (Pree College Division) in New York with Margaret Pardee and years later at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris with Maestro Olivier Charlier, where he obtained unanimously his First Prize and first place in his class in 1998. He continued his postgraduate studies (Third Cycle) with Jean-Jacques Kantorow and Roland Daugareil. In June 2012 he was awarded the Medal of Honor of the French Senate, for his contribution to the dissemination of Latin American culture and arts in that country. In 2012 he was also recognized as Best Classical Artist of the Year at the Venezuelan Music Awards. As a Francophonie Ambassador, in 2015 he participated alongside the legendary visual artist Carlos Cruz-Diez in the audiovisual document produced in Paris by the OIF.