Bio

Rafailia Kapsokavadi was born in 1998 in Thessaloniki, Greece. She started learning to play the violin at the age of 6, under the tutelage of the concertmaster of Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra and graduate from the Royal Academy of Music in London, Omiros Yiavroumis. She participated in numerous masterclasses in Europe and Russia, where she was improving her skills and has attended summer workshops. Rafailia received the Greek National Diploma-Certificate in violin performance in Thessaloniki at the age of 16 with first prize. She has diplomas in music theory and music history from music schools in Thessaloniki.

In August 2016, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and attended the Hayes School of Music for a degree in violin performance on a scholarship, studying under Professor Nancy Bargerstock while she was accepted at DePaul University in Chicago to study with Janet Sung. She completed her Bachelor Degree in 2020 at the Hayes School of Music in North Carolina. In 2016 she was awarded the Hayes Young Artist, which is a four-year scholarship.

Rafailia has also attended the famous festival in Northern Europe, Alion Baltic International Music Festival in Estonia the summer of 2018 being awarded the Audience Prize Award in the competition that took place. Rafailia has studied with scholarship and excellence under the tutelage of the internationally acclaimed violinists Albert Markov, Sergei Stadler, Stanislav Pronin, Anastasia Kozlova, Ivry Gitlis and Alissa Margulis and couple more Russian-American teachers. Rafailia has toured Northern Europe and 2nd prize in the Alion Baltic International Competition with solo concerts in Stockholm, Finland, Riga and Estonia in June-August 2018. She performed in Carnegie Hall with the CNY vocal ensemble in September 2022 as a soprano. In July 2019 she performed with Eastern Music Festival as a principal second violin under the baton of acclaimed conductor, Gerard Schwarz.

Rafailia exemplifies the ideal freelance musician in today’s world. As a highly sought-after violinist she has performed on stages internationally with numerous top-tier artists and groups and she has performed at off-Broadway shows in New York.

Rafailia has had the pleasure of performing in sold out concerts at major halls and arenas with artists like Derrick Hodge, Layth Sidiq and others.

Along with her active performance schedule, Rafailia is a passionate educator, making string learning fun for hundreds of students of all ages in various settings. She has previously held teaching artist positions with the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra, Chelsea Symphony Orchestra, and others.

In April 2022 she performed in Alice Tully hall concert in Lincoln Center with the Mannes Orchestra performing US work premiers and the same month she had 2 Martha Graham Dance Company performances in New York City Center as an assistant concertmaster.

She completed her Master’s Degree with Daniel Phillips at the Juilliard School and Mannes School of Music in New York City on a scholarship.

Teaching Info

• Weekly assignments/expectations
• Work on fundamental skills such as theory/solfege and scales.