It's with a heavy & grieved heart I announce the passing of our most beloved Founder, harp-maker, harpist, inventor & mentor, Maestro John G. Kovac (July 2022).
"John G. Kovac, beloved husband, brother, Harpist, and friend, 76, of Front Royal, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at his home..."
Reprinted from the opening of John's obituary. The whole can be found below:
What can be said? Those of the world who knew him or, at least knew of him had great admiration & respect for John Kovac & what he brought to the World at large. I had the privilege of a somewhat closer relationship with the Maestro himself.
What he freely taught me I endeavor to pass on to the world: John's Legacy as an avid Harpist & Do-it-Yourself Harp-Making Treasure. What my mentor gave of himself to this often cold world, his talent, intelligence, his passion & kindness, and great humility I pledge to continue on with his Legacy, as much as I can so that John G. Kovac will not be lost to the world.
I write this only a few scores of minutes before the Maestro is finally laid to rest. Who can know what to write at moments like this? Above all, I am thankful he came into my life when he did. Amen.
If you have comments about John Kovac, please, consider sharing them with us. You can leave a comment here on this blog and I will add all appropriate comments to our John Kovac Tribute Page. I plan to keep the Tribute Page open for your comments, on what Maestro Kovac meant to you, until July 6, 2023.
With heart broken, first, we pause, then, moving forward, John's Legacy will continue onward...
- Davy
I was friends with John in the mid 1970s. John lived in northern NY at the time in the Saint Lawrence Valley close to the US Canada boarder. Jon lived off the grid in a simple A frame house he built himself. I was a woodworker and John had asked if I could help him build a Savonious (a type of wind generator) that required some fabrication in my shop. It was successful and John was able to charge a 12 volt battery and his humble life got an upgrade. John did not play harp at that time but played classical guitar and the Concertina. I remember John as a gentile soul. He left the North Country and joined the Peace Corps and left for Columbia where he helped harvest sugar caine and taught guitar to prisoners in a Columbian prison. John had left me his dog and guitar to care for during his years in the Peace Corps. When he returned he visited to pick up the guitar and we kept the dog at Johns request! I found John years later when he was established as a builder of harps, myself I had begun building guitars so it was a nice evolution. John sent me a recording of Christmas tunes he made which I enjoyed and I followed some of his YouTube posting over the from time to time. It wasn’t until today I discovered he had passed and thought I would share this part of his history, I was fortunate to have known John.
I had the honor of meeting John in Guatemala (San Pedro la laguna) to be exact. He gave me his music and I would play it for my newborn son. It was always a nice calm por him. I got to see him a new more times after that. He is one of those people you always remember. Happy to have crossed paths with this human!
Thanks for keeping his dream alive!Gordan’sBay South Africa
Psalm116:15 The Lord care deeply when His loved ones die. May you rest in peace John.
Have just learned via this website of John’s sadly passing. I will miss my regular checking of the latest Youtube videos and wisdom from John. As an amateur harpmaker myself I learned a lot from John’s peculiar genius for producing simple yet lovely harps and also his profound work and findings on the harp soundboard. His work will live on and is of great value to the harpmaking community. I am busy restoring an 1840’s Sebastian Erard harp with a collapsed soundboard. John’s pioneering research has already proved to be of great value.
I know that John was a very kind, considerate and christian man and I am sure he is in a special place in heaven eaching the angels to play harp better. God bless you brother John. we will meet again
With Grief I pen this message. Iam from India. John was my mentor who introduced me to Harp making. The Harp I.made from his kit is still strong today. Ever since I left USA for India in 2015 we stayed in touch and I would Pen him a Christmas Card Yearly. I was to Pen this Card today when AI decided to check this site to recheck his address. And to my Grief. I saw this sad news.
John. You were a Blessing. I will never forget You anymore particularly when I strum the Harp. I remeber the Music You send me for my wedding. Julie Please accept my Heartfelt condolences as I’m taken aback to Pen More. I have one last kit which I peomise to make a Harp in Johns Memory.I’m sure John is in Heaven Playing the Harp with King David and the Angels.
Respectfully,
William