Leonid Sushansky

Biography

Violinist Leonid Sushansky has been acclaimed widely for his "Gorgeous tone... Compelling musical personality... Passionate intensity" (The Washington Post) and described as "astonishing" by The New York Times. Equally at home as concerto soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, educator, and artistic director, he has appeared in prestigious concert halls throughout the United States and Europe and has been featured on numerous radio and television programs.

Mr. Sushansky made his Carnegie Hall recital debut in 2005 with pianist Edward Newman and has performed as soloist with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Romanian State Philharmonic, Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York, Washington Pro Musica, Fairfax Symphony, Arlington Symphony, Richmond Philharmonic, Maryland Symphony, Alexandria Symphony, Windsor Symphony, New Hampshire Symphony, Columbia Orchestra, Britt Festival Orchestra, Anima Musicae Chamber Orchestra of Hungary, Philharmonisches Kammerorchester Berlin, the National Chamber Ensemble, and many others.

His recent performances have taken him to the Kennedy Center, The Phillips Collection, Bargemusic in New York City, the Berlin Philharmonie, Leipzig Gewandhaus, and concert halls throughout Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Europe. Recent highlights include performances of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with both the National Chamber Ensemble and the Manassas Symphony Orchestra at the Hylton Center for the Performing Arts, Bruch's Violin Concerto with the National Chamber Ensemble, Bach's Double Concerto with renowned violinist Dylana Jenson, the Washington, D.C., premiere of Lowell Lieberman's Horn Trio and Violin Sonata with the composer at the piano, recital collaborations with harpist Michelle Lundy, and a return to the University of Maryland's Faculty Artist Series with violinist James Stern and pianist Alexei Ulitin.

Highlights of the 2026–2027 season include performances of Florence Price's Violin Concerto with the Reston Orchestra in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a return engagement in Ecuador performing the concerto with the Guayaquil Philharmonic, appearances with the National Chamber Ensemble in its acclaimed multimedia production of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons featuring celebrated actress, singer, and philanthropist Lynda Carter as guest host and narrator, and recital performances with acclaimed pianist Thomas Pandolfi in Washington, D.C., Williamsburg, Virginia, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and additional concert series.

Mr. Sushansky began his musical studies with his mother, Rimma Sushanskaya, a violinist and pupil of the legendary David Oistrakh. At age twelve he appeared on the Marvin Hamlisch Showtime Special performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. The following year he entered The Juilliard School on scholarship, studying for seven years with the renowned pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. At fifteen, he was invited by Zubin Mehta to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. He later completed graduate studies at the University of Maryland with Daniel Heifetz and members of the Guarneri Quartet. Another important mentor was Catherine Filene Shouse, founder of Wolf Trap, who introduced him to the legendary violinist Isaac Stern, whose guidance became an important influence on his artistic development. Following his performances of the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with the Maryland Symphony, the Herald-Mail praised him as "Violinist thrills audience" with "thumbs up for his extraordinary performance."

An accomplished educator, Mr. Sushansky serves on the faculty of the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C. His students have served as concertmasters of leading youth orchestras, including the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, and former students have continued their studies at The Juilliard School and Boston University before pursuing professional careers. He is also the founder and Artistic Director of the National Chamber Ensemble, one of the Washington metropolitan area's leading chamber music organizations, earning a reputation for innovative programming, distinguished guest artists, educational outreach, and performances at the Kennedy Center, The Phillips Collection, and the Smithsonian Institution. His honors include the Outstanding Young Émigré Musician Award, first prizes in the Leningrad Young Musician's Competition, the Westchester Conservatory Competition, and the University of Maryland Concerto Competition, along with awards in the New York Philharmonic National Young Artists Competition and the Bergen Philharmonic Competition. Mr. Sushansky resides in Arlington, Virginia, where, in addition to the violin, he enjoys theater, reading, and rollerblading.