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HoLa (Hora Latina) presents a Tennessee Arts Commission Guest Artist Recital

Ready for the World Music Series Miroslav Hristov, Director Chih-Long Hu, Associate Director Nathalie Hristov, Exhibits Coordinator

We hope you enjoyed this performance. Private support from music enthusiasts enables us to improve educational opportunities and The Slavic World develop our student artists’ skills to their full potential. Miroslav Hristov, To learn more about how you can support the School of Music, contact Chris Cox, Director of Development, David Kováč, 865-974-7692 or [email protected]. Nathan Jasinski, Vladimir Valjarević, piano School of Music Michaela Kováčová, piano 117 Natalie L. Haslam Music Center 1741 Volunteer Blvd. Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 2 p.m. Knoxville, TN 37996 music.utk.edu Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall 865-974-3241 UTKSOM Natalie L. Haslam Music Center Dr. Kováč began his musical studies on violin at the age of four in his home Piano Trio No. 4 in E Minor, Antonin Dvorak country, the Czech Republic. Later, at the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava, Op. 90, B. 166, “Dumky” (Czech Republic, 1841-1904) he chose the viola as his main instrument. He completed his Bachelor of IV. Andante moderato — Allegretto scherzando — Music as a scholarship student at the Longy School of Music in Boston and Quasi tempo di marcia received his Master of Music in viola performance from the University of II. Poco adagio — Vivace non troppo — Vivace Massachusetts-Amherst, where he served as a graduate assistant in chamber music and . In 2002, Dr. Kováč became the violist in the Graduate Vladimir Valjarevic, piano Fellowship String Quartet at UMKC, where he completed the Doctor of Miroslav Hristov, violin Musical Arts in viola performance. He has studied with Pavel Vítek, Michelle Nathan Jasinski, cello LaCourse, and Scott Lee, and his chamber music coaches have included Benjamin Zander, Charles Treger, Sonya Monosoff, Katherine Murdock, Eric Stumacher, and Robert Marfeld. David Kováč performs on a viola made by Christopher Germain.

A native of Czech Republic, Michaela Kováčová has established herself as a collaborative pianist and instructor of piano. She performs in a duo with her husband, violist and co-artistic director of the Heartland Chamber Music Festival, David Kováč. She has appeared in numerous chamber music recitals including a live performance on Kansas Public Radio as well as a live performance of the Debussy Cello Sonata with Boston Conservatory Ballet. Her master classes include performances for pianist Victor Rosenbaum, violist Paul Neubauer, and cellist Yo Yo Ma. She served as a collaborative pianist for the music and ballet departments of University of Kansas, UMKC Conservatory, and The Smith College Choir. A dedicated teacher, she maintains a private studio, coaches chamber music at the Heartland Chamber Music Festival and in 2016 joined the faculty at ETSU pre-college program. Formerly, she taught piano solo, piano ensembles and chamber music to undergraduate students at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and at the Brattleboro Music Center in Vermont. Dr.. Kováčová began playing piano at the age of seven. She was accepted into the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava, Czech Republic where she received a diploma and graduated with honors. She came to the United States in 1997 on a full scholarship to the Apple Hill Chamber Music Festival in New Hampshire. As a graduate teaching assistant,Dr. Kováčová graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with her Master of Music and the Eugene May Award for outstanding accomplishments as a solo and collaborative pianist. She continued her studies at the University of Kansas where she completed her Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance and collaboration under the tutelage of Robert Koenig in 2009. Her primary piano teachers include Igor Katayev, Nadine Shank, and Estela Olevsky. Her chamber music teachers include pianist Eric Stumacher, violinist Charles Treger and violist Michelle LaCourse. Dr. Kováčová lives in Jonesborough, TN with her husband and their two children Joshua and Eliana. Elegy for viola and piano in Alexander Glazunov Violinist Miroslav Hristov was hailed by Fanfare Magazine for his “razor sharp technique” and a “full palette of tonal colors.” He presents master classes G Minor, Op. 44 (Russia, 1865-1936) and performs extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in several David Kováč, viola international festivals and concert series, including the Musical Treasures Michaela Kováčová, piano series in Carnegie Hall, the Interharmony International Music Festival in Arcidosso, Italy, the Sofia Music Weeks International Festival, The Balabanov House Music Days, and the Big Arts Concert Series in Florida. Dr. Hristov was First Prize winner of the International Violin Competition “Dobrin Petkov,” “Song” from Bulgarian Suite Pantcho Vladigerov and a prizewinner for the MTNA Collegiate String Performance Competition. (Bulgaria, 1899-1978)

Dr. Hristov has recorded for Centaur Records, Romeo Records, the Divine Arts Record label, Bulgarian National Radio, and WUOT Knoxville. His recordings are broadcast on NPR stations across the country. As part of the Eastern Chapel Meditations Aleksandra Vrebalov internationally-acclaimed Kaleidos Duo with pianist, Vladimir Valjarevic, Dr. (Serbia, b. 1970) Hristov’s recordings and performances have received rave reviews from The Strad Magazine, Fanfare, DUMA (Sofia, Bulgaria), and Lucid Culture (New York). Miroslav Hristov, violin Vladimir Valjarević, piano As Associate Professor of Violin at the University of Tennessee School of Music, Dr. Hristov is Founder and Co-Director of the University of Tennessee School of Music’s Annual Violin Festival where over 100 Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 65 Fryderyk Chopin participants gather to attend lectures, master classes, and perform III. Largo (Poland, 1810-1849) alongside world-renowned guest artists. Previously, he taught violin in the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico where Nathan Jasinski, cello he served as Principal Second Violin of the Orquesta de Camara de Vladimir Valjarević, piano Monterrey and the Orquesta Sinfonica de la Universidad de Nuevo Leon.

Dr. Hristov has presented his research on Eastern European pedagogical methods for violin at conferences around the world, including the International Nocturne No. 3 Jan Václav Kalivoda College Music Society Conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia, the American String from 6 Nocturnes Op. 186 (Czech Republic, 1801-1866) Teachers Association National Conference, as well as several regional and statewide clinics and conferences. A dedicated teacher, his students have David Kováč, viola won numerous competitions, and many hold prestigious scholarships Michaela Kováčová, piano and professional appointments. Recent teaching awards include the 2014 Tennessee Music Teachers Association Teacher of the Year, the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts Outstanding Teacher Award, and the University of Tennessee School of Music’s Faculty Distinguished Teaching Award. Poem Zdenko Fibich (Czech Republic, 1850- 1900) Dr. Miroslav Hristov is also Founder and Director of the University of David Kováč, viola Tennessee’s Ready for the World Music Series, which brings renowned Michaela Kováčová, piano artists to perform and talk about musical styles and literature from diverse regions around the world, emphasizing each region’s contribution to western . Dr. David Kováč maintains a varied career as a violist, artistic director, chamber musician, and instructor of violin and viola. He was appointed as Cellist Nathan Jasinski has given solo performances in Germany, Switzerland, assistant professor of violin and viola at East Tennessee State University in Austria, and throughout the United States. A recent highlight includes a 2016. He has collaborated with members of the Miami String Quartet, the performance of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with the Keweenaw Symphony in Rosamunde Trio, the Appalachia Piano Trio, New Ear Ensemble (a Kansas City Michigan. He performs regularly with the Appalachia Piano Trio, as continuo/ based new music ensemble), and members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, solo cellist with the Kentucky Bach Choir, and as a solo recitalist. Dr. Jasinski BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Kansas earned degrees in cello performance from Brigham Young University and City Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Arizona State University, and his doctorate from the University of Michigan. and other around the United States and Europe. Other chamber An enthusiastic educator, Dr. Jasinski frequently gives cello and chamber music collaborations include performances with faculty at the University music master classes at educational venues throughout the country. He of Massachusetts-Amherst, Stony Brook University, University of Missouri- joined the music faculty at Eastern Kentucky University in 2006. Prior to this Kansas City, Park University’s International Center for Music, University of appointment, he taught at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and Snow Tennessee, University of Kansas, and University of Nevada Las Vegas. He College in Ephraim, UT. His love of teaching has led to his working with young has performed as the featured soloist with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra musicians at the Interlochen and Steven Foster music camps. He is currently in Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and has collaborated in opera productions president of the Kentucky Cello Club, an organization that promotes cello with the renowned Mark Morris Dance Company. playing and teaching throughout the lower Midwest. In 2009 Dr. Kováč performed the world premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Puntos Suspensivos at the Joyce Theatre in New York City. The work was commissioned in part by the performing arts series, “Works and Process” at the Guggenheim Museum. That same year he co-founded the Stringendo Chamber Music Program as part of the Heartland Music Academy in Mission, Kansas. The year-round program is designed to coach new and beginning A dedicated chamber musician and soloist, pianist Vladimir Valjarevic chamber ensembles. Dr. Kováč’s work with the Heartland Music Academy has been praised for his “caressing legato,” “silk-on-velvet seductiveness” also included coaching the Heartland Virtuosi and Camerata Chamber (Fanfare Magazine), “beautiful lyricism and . . . wide variety of tones and orchestras. He remains artistic director of the Heartland Chamber Music colorings, perceptively applied with care” (All Music Guide). He has also been Festival, an internationally renowned summer program for young musicians called “an outstandingly responsive partner and superb tonalist” (The Strad). that draws students and faculty from across the world, including the Miami His performances have taken him throughout America, Europe, and Asia, String Quartet, Ivan Chen, and Noah Geller. and have garnered enthusiastic critical acclaim. Valjarevic has collaborated with numerous contemporary composers in various projects, including Dr. Kováč’s former students have included the concertmaster of the Kansas commissions, recordings, and world premiers. He has recorded for Labor City Youth Symphony and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, as Records, Romeo Records, Centaur Records, Blue Griffin, and MSR Classics. well as first-prize winners at the Kansas Music Teachers Association State He has performed and recorded extensively with violinist Miroslav Hristov as competitions and winners of the Kansas chapter of the Music Teacher’s a member of the Kaleidos Duo. National Association competition. His students have received scholarships to numerous prestigious schools and summer programs, including the Walnut Valjarevic studied in his native Bosnia, at Belgrade Conservatory (Serbia), Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, Pepperdine University, McGill University, Mannes School of Music (BM & MM), Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University of Tulsa, University of Dallas, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, University (DMA) and at Geneva Conservatory in Switzerland, where he was a Park University, Killington Chamber Music Festival, and the Tanglewood Fulbright Scholar. His primary piano instructors are Pavlina Dokovska, Pascal Chamber Music Festival. Among notable collaborations are Masterclasses with Devoyon, Susan Starr, and Planinka Jurisic-Atic. Valjarevic is on piano faculty Borromeo String Quartet, Miami String Quartet and Chiara String Quartet, at Mannes School of Music (College, Prep) and Mason Gross School of the Michael Stern. He has previously taught at the Dana Hall School of Music in Arts, and teaches piano pedagogy and piano literature at both schools. His Wellesley, MA, the Brattleboro Music Center in Vermont, and the University of festival affiliations include Beijing International Music Festival and Academy Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory of Music and Dance. He regularly in China, Round Top in Texas, International Institute for Young Musicians in serves as an adjudicator at for a variety of local, state, and national festivals Kansas. and competitions.