Zoran Jakovcic, a native of Croatia, made his solo orchestral debut as winner of the National Competition in Zagreb. He has performed in recital and as soloist with orchestras in Europe, Japan, China, and the United States. Mr. Jakovcic was first violinist of the Essex Quartet (1988 -98), winner of numerous competitions and awards with residences at Juilliard, Yale, Rutgers, Meadowmount, Banff, and Aspen. In 2005 Mr. Jakovcic joined the Maia Quartet, Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Iowa. The Maia Quartet performed throughout the United States, Japan, and China, collaborated with leading chamber musicians including Joel Krosnick, Andre-Michel Schub, Cynthia Phelps, Daniel Avshalomov, and Wendy Warner, and premiered and recorded works by Pierre Jalbert, Magnus Lindberg, Dan Coleman, Vivian Fung, and Ronn Yedidia. Mr. Jakovcic taught and performed at the Great Wall International Music Academy in China, Up-Beat Festival in Japan, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Killington Music Festival, and the Austin Chamber Music Festival. Mr. Jakovcic graduated from The Juilliard School as a student of Dorothy Delay and served as teaching assistant to Robert Mann of the Juilliard Quartet. An accomplished teacher and administrator, Mr. Jakovcic has founded the Arcady International Music Camp (ME) and the Thurnauer Chamber Music Camp (NJ), and served on the faculty of the University of Iowa and Columbus State University in Georgia. Currently, Mr. Jakovcic is the Assistant Professor of Viola at Ball State University in Indiana.