Ernst Kovacic leaves the Ernst-Krenek-Institute-Private-Foundation
After 20 years as chairman of the board of the Ernst-Krenek-Institute-Private-Foundation, em. Univ.-Prof. Ernst Kovacic has left the Foundation and resigned as managing director of the Ernst Krenek Forum Betriebsges.m.b.H. by his own will shortly after his 80th birthday. His name is closely associated with the history of the Foundation since its establishment in 2004.
Ernst Kovacic had met Ernst Krenek in the early 1970s (- read his article "Memories of Ernst Krenek"). A long-lasting commitment to his oeuvre was to follow.
Together with Martin Haselböck he played the world premiere of Krenek's "Opus 231" for organ and violin at the Vienna Konzerthaus in 1980 - Krenek had written the piece for the two of them.
„I am particularly happy about the brilliant performance and recording of 231. You and Kovacic must have played it magnificently, and I can hardly wait for the tape.“
In innumerable artistic projects, CD recordings and also as a teacher, Ernst Kovacic was (and still is) always striving to bring Krenek's work to the public's attention and thus to give the exiled composer appropriate attention in Austria and also beyond the country’s borders.
In close cooperation with Gladys Nordenstrom Krenek, the founder of the foundation, Ernst Kovacic became president of the Ernst Krenek Association (founded in 1997 as a sponsoring association for the Ernst-Krenek-Institute) in 2002, succeeding Martin Haselböck. From 2004 onwards he accompanied the establishment of the foundation and the development of the Ernst-Krenek-Institute in Krems, and in the following years he worked on an honorary basis together with the board of directors, the staff of the Ernst-Krenek-Institute and the scientific-artistic advisory board with the support of the Cultural Department of the Province of Lower Austria and the Art Section of the Federal Chancellery (today: BMKOES) on the implementation and realization of the foundation's goals.
With his visions and ideas, solid consistency, and great appreciation for Krenek's work, Ernst Kovacic steered the fortunes of the Foundation even in challenging times and always maintained his enthusiasm and optimism during the approximately 20 years of his work.
We sincerely thank "our Ernst" for his tireless commitment and wish him all the best for all his future endeavors!