A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Ashley Horvat began studying violin at age three. Mrs. Horvat holds a Masters degree in Violin Performance from the University of Akron, a Bachelors degree in violin performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, and a high school diploma with a focus on violin per formance from the North Carolina School of the Arts. Mrs. Horvat has also studied chamber music with the Tacaks Quartet and the Mendelssohn Quartet. She has won many awards in and around the Southeastern United States, including the Young Artists Competition in South Carolina, The Upton Foundation Scholarship, a four year scholarship program at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and was the North Carolina Federation of Music Clubs state winner for 2000 and 2001. She has also been teaching assistants at both University of Akron and North Carolina School of the Arts.
Presently, she is Associate Concertmaster of the South Carolina Philharmonic and Acting Principal Second Violin of the Spartanburg Philharmonic. Mrs. Hor vat is an adjunct violin and viola teacher at Columbia College and the Palmetto Center for the Arts. She also maintains a very exclusive private studio at her home. She is a very active solo and chamber musician and gives frequent recitals, master classes, and guest appearances throughout the year. When she is not busy with her music, she loves photography, gardening, sewing, outdoor adventures, and spend ing time
Damir Horvat
Damir Horvat, owner of Horvat Fine Violins and Bows, began his studies of both playing and making string instruments at the young age of three. Damir is a third generation instrument and bow maker, an expert restorer, and a professional violinist.
Mr. Horvat keeps an active performing schedule, as he is never far from his violin. He has performed extensively in his career with both student and professional orchestras, chamber music, and solo recitals for the past thirty years in both the U.S. and in Europe. Currently, he is Principal Second Violin of the South Carolina Philharmonic.
Mr. Horvat holds a Masters degree in violin performance from the University of Akron, a Bache lors degree in Violin Performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, a high school diploma with a focus on violin performance from the Interlochen Arts Academy, and was enrolled in the prestigious Stankovich Academia in his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia.
Damir Horvat is a naturalized citizen of the United States, and resides in Columbia, SC. Away from the music trade, Damir enjoys nature and spending time with his wife, Ashley and two children, Daphne and Donovan.
Dusan Vukajlovic
Dusan Vukajlovic was born into a musical family in Belgrade, Serbia and began to play the cello at the early age of five.
He obtained his undergraduate degree from the Belgrade Music Academy and went on to study with Martha Gerscefski at Georgia State University in Atlanta, where he completed his Masters degree in 2003. Following that, he spent a year studying with Johanne Perron at the Lynn University in Florida.
Dusan has been active as an orchestral musician since an early age and performed regularly with the Belgrade Philharmonic as well as with various orchestras in Georgia and Florida. As a soloist he has had a successful career which began with winning the first prize at the Yugoslavian National Cello Competition in Sarajevo in 1987. Two years later he was a member of the piano trio (Do-mi-sol) that won the first prize in the National Chamber Competition in Dubrovnik. In 1991, he won the first prize at a chamber competition in Stressa, Italy. In addition he regularly performed on national radio and television. Dusan has participated in master-classes with Tim Eddy, Bonnie Hampton, Kiril Rodin and Ksenija Jankovic.
Dusan is Principal Cellist of the SC Philharmonic and recently received rave reviews for his performance of Friedrich Gulda’s “Concerto for Cello and wind Band.” Critic David Lowry wrote, “Dusan Vukajlovic latched on to the 1980 work with a vengeance. This is no passive, sweet, heart-warming cello number. It is a work embracing classical forms and non-classical forms, with suggestions of jazz and rock’n’roll, but more importantly, it offers a rewarding view of how the art of virtuosity can be employed in the 21st century. Vukajlovic rose to the occasion and played the very fast passages brilliantly. It was the soloist’s riveting, five-minute cadenza movement that captivated the audience. The demands on the cellist were high, with three and four-part chords; nontraditional harmonies; ventures into harmonics that rivaled high notes on a violin; and combinations of intense melodic, nearly romantic melodies.” (Free Times, Oct. 19-25, 2011)
Currently, Dusan is working towards completing his DMA with Robert Jesselson at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. He also plays regularly with the Upton Trio.
Performers: Ashley Horvat, Damir Horvat, Sarah Steeves, Dusan Vukajlovic- SC Philharmonic
Ashley Horvat
A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Ashley Horvat began studying violin at age three. Mrs. Horvat holds a Masters degree in Violin Performance from the University of Akron, a Bachelors degree in violin performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, and a high school diploma with a focus on violin per formance from the North Carolina School of the Arts. Mrs. Horvat has also studied chamber music with the Tacaks Quartet and the Mendelssohn Quartet. She has won many awards in and around the Southeastern United States, including the Young Artists Competition in South Carolina, The Upton Foundation Scholarship, a four year scholarship program at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and was the North Carolina Federation of Music Clubs state winner for 2000 and 2001. She has also been teaching assistants at both University of Akron and North Carolina School of the Arts.
Presently, she is Associate Concertmaster of the South Carolina Philharmonic and Acting Principal Second Violin of the Spartanburg Philharmonic. Mrs. Hor vat is an adjunct violin and viola teacher at Columbia College and the Palmetto Center for the Arts. She also maintains a very exclusive private studio at her home. She is a very active solo and chamber musician and gives frequent recitals, master classes, and guest appearances throughout the year. When she is not busy with her music, she loves photography, gardening, sewing, outdoor adventures, and spend ing time
Damir Horvat
Damir Horvat, owner of Horvat Fine Violins and Bows, began his studies of both playing and making string instruments at the young age of three. Damir is a third generation instrument and bow maker, an expert restorer, and a professional violinist.
Mr. Horvat keeps an active performing schedule, as he is never far from his violin. He has performed extensively in his career with both student and professional orchestras, chamber music, and solo recitals for the past thirty years in both the U.S. and in Europe. Currently, he is Principal Second Violin of the South Carolina Philharmonic.
Mr. Horvat holds a Masters degree in violin performance from the University of Akron, a Bache lors degree in Violin Performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, a high school diploma with a focus on violin performance from the Interlochen Arts Academy, and was enrolled in the prestigious Stankovich Academia in his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia.
Damir Horvat is a naturalized citizen of the United States, and resides in Columbia, SC. Away from the music trade, Damir enjoys nature and spending time with his wife, Ashley and two children, Daphne and Donovan.
Dusan Vukajlovic
Dusan Vukajlovic was born into a musical family in Belgrade, Serbia and began to play the cello at the early age of five.
He obtained his undergraduate degree from the Belgrade Music Academy and went on to study with Martha Gerscefski at Georgia State University in Atlanta, where he completed his Masters degree in 2003. Following that, he spent a year studying with Johanne Perron at the Lynn University in Florida.
Dusan has been active as an orchestral musician since an early age and performed regularly with the Belgrade Philharmonic as well as with various orchestras in Georgia and Florida. As a soloist he has had a successful career which began with winning the first prize at the Yugoslavian National Cello Competition in Sarajevo in 1987. Two years later he was a member of the piano trio (Do-mi-sol) that won the first prize in the National Chamber Competition in Dubrovnik. In 1991, he won the first prize at a chamber competition in Stressa, Italy. In addition he regularly performed on national radio and television. Dusan has participated in master-classes with Tim Eddy, Bonnie Hampton, Kiril Rodin and Ksenija Jankovic.
Dusan is Principal Cellist of the SC Philharmonic and recently received rave reviews for his performance of Friedrich Gulda’s “Concerto for Cello and wind Band.” Critic David Lowry wrote, “Dusan Vukajlovic latched on to the 1980 work with a vengeance. This is no passive, sweet, heart-warming cello number. It is a work embracing classical forms and non-classical forms, with suggestions of jazz and rock’n’roll, but more importantly, it offers a rewarding view of how the art of virtuosity can be employed in the 21st century. Vukajlovic rose to the occasion and played the very fast passages brilliantly. It was the soloist’s riveting, five-minute cadenza movement that captivated the audience. The demands on the cellist were high, with three and four-part chords; nontraditional harmonies; ventures into harmonics that rivaled high notes on a violin; and combinations of intense melodic, nearly romantic melodies.” (Free Times, Oct. 19-25, 2011)
Currently, Dusan is working towards completing his DMA with Robert Jesselson at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. He also plays regularly with the Upton Trio.