Joshua Kováč, cello

Meet Joshua

Joshua appeared on Show 382 at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston on February 6, 2020.

Joshua Kováč (cello), 12, from Johnson City, Tennessee, began his formal cello lessons at the age of four and currently studies with professor Daniel Veis. At the age of 7, Joshua won first place and received the Laureate title at the ProBohemia International Competition in Ostrava, Czech Republic and second place at the Heran International Cello Competition in Ústí nad Orlicí, Czech Republic. In 2016, Joshua won several competitions and performed at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and Merkin Recital Hall in New York City. He received first prizes at the American Protégé competition and the International Grande Music Competition, and second place at the International Virtuoso Competition. In 2019, Joshua was one of the finalists in the Hilton Head Symphony Youth Concerto Competition and a winner of the Youth Aliyah Concerto Competition in Tennessee. He performed as a soloist with the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, Kinnor Philharmonic, and Scruffy City Orchestra. Joshua participated in masterclasses with Gilbert Kalish, Matt Haimovitz, Steven Doane, Keith Robinson, Ivan Chen, and members of the Parker Sring Quartet. He has participated in Music@Menlo, Heartland Chamber Music Festival, Eastern Tennessee State University Chamber Music Festival, and National Cello Institute. Joshua is currently a student of Eastern Tennessee State University’s pre-college Chamber Music Program and chamber orchestra. Among other interests, Joshua enjoys solving Rubik’s cube, playing chess, reading, skiing, being on a swim team, hiking and riding his bike. He is a Boston Bruins fan and he adores his little pets, guinea pigs Pepper and Caramel.

Joshua is a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist.
Scholarship Year: 2020