"Interpreters are connected through their instruments by a mysterious network with composers, their fellow players, the audience and many other things. The goal is to sharpen perception of everything that may be suspended in this web ... and yet to stand firmly on both your legs." (Ernst Kovacic)

Ernst Kovacic studied in Vienna and was strongly influenced by this city's palpable tension between tradition and innovation. Early on he showed an interest in contemporary music while at the same time continuing with the classic concert repertoire. Numerous composers wrote for him, such as Krenek, Cerha, Holloway, Gruber, Schwertsik, Eröd, Bischof and Haas. He also premièred the "Violin Concert" by Beat Furrer together with the Wiener Philharmoniker and Ingo Metzmacher at Graz 2003 and the Wiener Konzerthaus. The first performance of Violin Concertos by Django Bates with the London Sinfonietta and Clemens Gadenstätter are amongst his current projects.
As soloist he performed extensively with many prominent orchestras and conductors such as Franz Welser-Möst, Roger Norrington, Simon Rattle and Michael Gielen and was guest at many international festivals throughout the world.
From 1996 to 1998 he was artistic director of the Wiener Kammerorchester, but he has also worked with the Scottish, Irish and English Chamber Orchestras, the Northern Sinfonietta, ESO, ECCO, Camerata Romana, St. Pauls Chamber Orchestra and others, partly as directing soloist. In 2007 he was artistic director of the Leopoldinum Orchestra Breslau, since 2008 he is violinist of the Zebra Trio with Anssi Karttunen and Steve Dann. He is curator of the brückenmürz festival and the Leo festival in Breslau. A close and intense collaboration connects him with Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Modern, Camerata Salzburg and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie.