Leonid Baranov was born in St. Petersburg and began playing the violin at the age of five. He studied in Russia, Austria, Switzerland and the USA with renowned musicians including Shmuel Ashkenasi, Vadim Gluzman, Dora Schwarzberg, Ilya Gringolts, Pavel Vernikov and Grigory Kalinovsky.

Winner of the Rahn Music Prize 2022, he has appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester and the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra and has performed in venues including the Israeli Opera House (Tel Aviv), Mariinsky Theater (St. Petersburg), Tonhalle Zürich and Carnegie Hall. He has held positions in Philharmonia Zürich (2022–2024) and the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester (2024–2025). Since 2024 he has also been performing with the Lucerne Piano Trio, alongside his solo and chamber activities. He currently plays a violin by Antonio Mariani made in 1667.