[4] At the age of 24, Kahane entered the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1981 and won fourth place.
Two years later, he won the Grand Prize in the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Israel.
In addition, he has become a favored recital accompanist for Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Joshua Bell, and Thomas Quasthoff, and he often appears with leading chamber ensembles such as the Emerson String Quartet.
[3][5] In the summer of 2003 Kahane performed all five Beethoven piano concertos with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra over two consecutive nights at the Hollywood Bowl.
During the 2005–2006 concert season, he performed all 23 of the Mozart piano concertos as part of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth.
"As I move forward, I know that nothing I ever do will mean more to me than the privilege of working with these amazing and dedicated musicians and making music with them for this exceptionally passionate and committed audience.
Some critics find his idea of "modern" too conservative, and LACO's older subscribers have been known to grumble about even "safe" choices.
On balance, Kahane does a laudable job of giving concert goers a healthy mix of the familiar and the slightly daring.
"[12]According to The Denver Post, Kahane's tenure "has been marked by increased audiences and an uncommonly strong bond with the orchestra's musicians.
"[13] Under Kahane's direction, the Festival has featured the ensemble yMusic, as well as premieres of commissioned works by composers Robert Sirota and Andrea Clearfield.
Kahane has plans to incorporate music by more female and young composers in future Festivals, in addition to offering a wider range of repertoire and commissioning more new works.
"[11] Kahane and his wife, Martha, a psychologist in private practice and an avid choral singer, live in Los Angeles.
They have two adult children: Gabriel Kahane, a composer, pianist, and singer living in Brooklyn; and Annie, a choreographer and poet.