Ernst Kovacic

Born in Kapfenberg, Austria, Ernst Kovacic is among the most versatile violinists of his generation. With his interpretations of Bach’s solo works and Mozart’s violin concertos as well as his commitment to 20th-century music he has established an international reputation. Composers such as Krenek, Cerha, Holloway, Osborne, Gruber, Schwertsik, Eröd, Bischof, Haas, Essl, Furrer, Django Bates, or Gadenstätter wrote pieces for Kovacic. In the past seasons he played the world premieres of violin concertos by Beat Furrer, Django Bates, and Friedrich Cerha.

He has performed as a soloist with prominent orchestras under such conductors as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Roger Norrington, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Michael Gielen and Franz Welser-Möst all over the world. As "directing soloist" and conductor he works together with many chamber orchestras. From 1996 to 1998 he was musical director of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. He is playing with the Scottish, Irish, and English Chamber Orchestras, the Northern Sinfonia, the ESO, the Britten Sinfonia, the Klangforum Wien, the Ensemble Modern, BIT20 Ensemble, the Camerata Salzburg, and many others.

Ernst Kovacic plays a violin made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini in 1753.