Leonid Plashinov-Johnson

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Leonid Plashinov-Johnson was born in Siberia, Russia in 1995 and began playing the violin at the age of three. Aged ten he was awarded a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, where he studied the violin under Lutsia Ibragimova. During his final year at the school he switched full time to the viola, studying with the principle viola of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Andriy Viytovych. 

In 2016 he relocated to the USA to study with Kim Kashkashian at the New England Conservatory, Boston, where he also served as an assistant teacher until 2018. The 2018 season saw Leonid give his American concerto debut, performing the Walton Viola Concerto with the NEC Symphony Orchestra after being awarded first prize in the NEC Concerto Competition. 

He has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral member in many venues across Europe and the United States including the Wigmore Hall, Windsor Castle, Reims Cathedral, Musicgebouw (Amsterdam) and Jordan Hall (Boston) and has also appeared at festivals such as the Menuhin festival in Gstaad, Yellow Barn (Vermont), Rivinia Festival (Colorado) and AIMS festival (Catalonia). 

March of 2015, Leo received top honours at the International Competition “Young Virtuosos” held in Sofia, Bulgaria and in June 2018 Leo was awarded third prize in the William Primrose International Viola Competition in Los Angeles. He has held a position in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since 2019.