Jules Kovach, our Concertmaster Emeritus |
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Jules was born in Pennsylvania into a musical family, and moved to Buffalo at the age of four. He began violin lessons at the age of seven and continued through grammar and high schools. While in high school, he began to study the French Horn as well. After graduating from high school, he joined the Army and played horn in an Army band for 2-1/2 years. While stationed in Jackson, Mississippi, he was concertmaster of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra.
After leaving the service, he spent four years at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and during his senior year, he played in the Rochester Philharmonic under the baton of Erich Leinsdorf. Upon graduating, he joined the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) as Assistant Principal 2nd Violinist. William Steinberg was conductor at the time. After spending ten years with the BPO in this position, in 1960 he was appointed to the dual positions of Associate Principal 2nd Violinist and Principal Music Librarian. During the summers in Buffalo, he has been a member of such groups as the Buffalo Symphonia, the Buffalo Civic Orchestra and the Buffalo Pops Orchestra.
For 25 years, he was a member of the Buffalo Symphonette (Fred Ressel, conductor). He was also very active in the Young Audiences program as a member of the Buffalo String Art Quartet. Performing in local area churches has been a large part of his musical life as well, appearing with chamber groups and also as a violin soloist.
He retired in 1994 after 44 years with the BPO. In 1995, he started playing with the Amherst Chamber Ensembles (ACE), and in 1996 he was appointed Concertmaster and Associate Conductor of ACE.
He lives in Sanborn, NY with his wife, Ruth, who is Organist and Choir Director of 1st Trinity Lutheran Church on Niagara Falls Blvd. in the Town of Tonawanda. They have three children and six grandchildren.
