Vasko Dukovski – SCV LIGATURES Artist
Vasko Dukovski is a Macedonian clarinet virtuoso and composer based in Shanghai, China. A Distinguished Clarinet Professor at the Nanjing University of Arts, Dukovski has previously taught at the Juilliard School Global Initiative Program and MAP – Music Advancement Program, USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts and Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, City University of New York.
An avid performer, composer, improviser, and advocate of contemporary classical and experimental music, Dukovski has performed with some of New York’s most respected ensembles including Either/OR Ensemble, Lost Dog Ensemble, Échappé Ensemble, International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Argento New Music Project, S.E.M Ensemble, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Talea Ensemble, Wet Ink Ensemble, ECCE, Metropolis Ensemble, Mise-En Ensemble, Mimesis Ensemble, Nunc Ensemble, AXIOM, LPR Ensemble, PRO – Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, Experiential Orchestra, The Knights Orchestra, as well as Nu Deco Ensemble, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, and others.
In addition, Dukovski has collaborated with Grammy-winning and nominated artists such as Attacca Quartet, Cassatt Quartet, Secret Quartet, Voxare Quartet, Aqueus Quartet, and Kronos Quartet. His virtuosity and interpretations of contemporary works have led to collaborations with composers including Jonathan Dawe, Jessie Cox, Michael Hersch, Huang Ruo, Du Yun, Wang Lu, Richard Carrick, Gerald Cohen, Raphael Cendo, Nina Young, Iancu Dumitrescu, Alex Mincek, Kate Soper, John Corigliano, Eric Wubbles, Ricardo Romaneiro, John Adams, Gunther Schuller, Yehudy Weiner, Georg Friedrich Haas, Helmut Lachenmann, Philippe Hurel, George Lewis, Peter Kotik, and many others.
Over the past decade, Dukovski has commissioned and premiered over three hundred new compositions. Despite his classical foundation, his curiosity led him into Jazz, Pop, Eastern Folk, Klezmer, Funk, R&B, Hip-Hop, Electronica, Rock & Roll and Fusion, sharing the stage with Jon Batiste, Jacob Collier, Gladys Knight, Stephen Marley, Charlie Looker, Marcel Khalife and Al Mayadeen Ensemble, Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Alex Skolnick – Planetary Coalition, Duke Bojadziev, Frank London, Ara Dinkjian, NY Gypsy All-Stars, Sandip Das and many others.
As a soloist, Dukovski made his New York debut with the New Juilliard Ensemble in 2006 and has appeared multiple times with the Macedonian Philharmonic, including at Carnegie Hall. In 2016, he appeared as soloist with Ensemble LPR at the historic Naumburg Bandshell in New York’s Central Park performing Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto.
Mise-En Ensemble featured Dukovski as soloist for two American premieres: Essaim Cribles by Michael Jarrell and Eclipse by Yan Marezs. In 2018, he appeared as soloist with Échappé Ensemble giving the world premiere of Jonathan Dawe’s Astounding Angels.
Dukovski’s musical compositions thrive equally in the concert hall and the art gallery. His multi-genre works have been performed across the United States, South America, and Europe by leading performers and ensembles such as the Grammy-nominated Metropolis Ensemble, Either/OR Ensemble, Sforzando Composers Collective, MarKovStein Principle, and Tavche Gravche.
In collaboration with Macedonian artist Ivanco Talevski, Dukovski‘s sound installations have been exhibited at the National Gallery of Macedonia, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Napoleon Gallery, C.R. Ettinger Studio, and The Print Center in Philadelphia.
Recent commissions include the Washington Square Music Festival (New York City) and the New Docta International Festival (Argentina). In 2022, he was awarded as an “Outstanding Foreign Expert’’ by the Nanjing University of Arts, and in 2021 received the “Extraordinary Dedication and Achievement” award from the American Youth Musician Union. Dukovski is also a recipient of the United Macedonian Diaspora “40 under 40 Successful Macedonians” award (2015).
A nominee of the 2013 “Virtuosi” Awards in Macedonia, he is also the winner of numerous international competitions including the 2010 Arriaga Chamber Music Competition (with Grneta Ensemble), III Prize at the Andreas Makris Clarinet Competition, Special Prize at the Jeunesses Musicales Clarinet Competition (Romania), and others.
Dukovski has recorded over 30 albums for labels including Naxos, New Focus Records, Deutsche Grammophon, Albany Records, Sono Luminus, Tzadik, In a Circle Records, and Parma Recordings. He has also contributed to film scores and video games including Civilization VI (Theme of Macedon: The Ancient Era).
Born in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia, Dukovski began his musical journey at age five and earned a Fine Arts Award from Interlochen Arts Academy before completing his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees at the Juilliard School of Music under Charles Neidich and Ayako Oshima.
In 2025, Vasko Dukovski became an official artist of SCV LIGATURES. He uses Tonus Mundi and Fusion ligatures.