Alexis Cardenas was born on March 24th, 1976 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He started to play the violin at 9 in his hometown. When he was 12 he played the Concerto for violin in e minor by Felix Mendelssohn with the Maracaibo Symphony Orchestra. In 1990 he continued his studies at the Julliard School in New York with Margaret Pardee.

Between 1993 and 1995 he performed as a soloist with the most important Orchestras of Venezuela, among which the Philarmonic National Orchestra. In 1995 he studied at the “Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique” of Paris where he attended Olivier Charlier’s course. In 1998 he got the first prize at the International Competition for Young Soloists in Douai (France) and the audience prize at the International Violin Competition Tibor Varga (Switzerland - 1997). In 1999 he attended the specializing course at the “Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique” with Olivier Charlier and Jean-Jacques Kantorov. In the same year he placed fourth at the International Violin Competition Long-Thibaud in Paris.

He performed in France: at the Châtelet Theatre, at the “Salle d’Orgue” of the “Conservatoire National Supérieur”, at “La Cigale” and at the Montpellier Festival. He performs regularly in Venezuela in the best theatres and with the most distinguished orchestras of his country. In 2000 he attended the specialization course for soloists held by Roland Dugareuil at the “Conservatoire National de Région” in Paris. In the same year he was awarded the third prize at the International Violin Competition Fritz Kreisler in Vienna (Austria) and the second prize at the International Violin Competition Szering in Toluca (Mexico).