Adrian Sylveen Mackiewicz, biographic note

Violinist, conductor, chamber musician and educator, Adrian Sylveen Mackiewicz is currently an artistic director of the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Connecticut Lyric Opera, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the New Britain Chorale.

A graduate of the Paderewski Music Academy in Poznań, Poland and the Yale University School of Music in New Haven, USA, he began his musical education at the age of five at the local elementary music school in a Polish city of Gdynia. At the age of eleven he placed first at the Regional Auditions for Young Violinists and he began to perform concerts and recitals, which eventually took him to Switzerland and former USSR.

After graduating from Music Lyceum in Gdańsk in 1989 he continued his studies at the Music Academy in Poznań, Poland. While at the Academy he was awarded several prestigious government scholarships and awards including “Primus Inter Pares” Award given by the President of the Republic of Poland, and Ministry of Education scholarship. He also participated in several festivals, including Weimar International Summer School and Festival in Germany, International Summer School and Festival in Łancut, Poland and others. He also participated in several national and international competitions, which brought him first prize at the International Chamber Music Competition in Łódz in 1992, placement in the final round at the Tadeusz Wroński National Competition for Violin Solo in Warsaw in 1990, and invitation to study at Yale University in the United States at the International Violin Competition in Taipei, Taiwan.

From 1992 to 1996 Mr. Mackiewicz continued his studies at Yale University, where he earned Master of Music and Artist Diploma degrees. In 1996 He received an Assistantship at the University of Connecticut where he continued his education in areas of both orchestral and choral conducting.

Mr. Mackiewicz founded the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra in 1997. During the last nine years the orchestra expanded to more than ten concert programs and more than 25 performances a season. The group is a frequent guest at the Kosciusko Foundation’s Chamber Music Series, and performed at the prestigious Belding Theater at the Bushnell Center for the Performing arts in Hartford, Connecticut. In August of 2003 the orchestra was invited to perform at the Gala Concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of John Paul II papacy at Doylestown Pennsylvania.  

Very active as chamber musician and soloist, Mr. Mackiewicz frequently performs and collaborates in concerts and recitals and lectures on various musical topics at several regional colleges. His repertoire includes, among many other works, a large number of works by twentieth century Polish composers.

In 2004, Mr. Mackiewicz was granted the "Extraordinary Abilities in the Arts" permanent US residence, as one of a small percentage of those who have risen to the top in their field of endeavor.