Jerzy Milewski

Origin

Curitiba, PR

Years Active

1952–2017

Genres

MPB, instrumental music, classical crossover

Instruments

violin

Biography

Jerzy Milewski was a Polish-born violinist who became a naturalized Brazilian musician, renowned for his instrumental interpretations of Brazilian popular music (MPB). Born in Warsaw as a child prodigy, he began playing the violin at age six and graduated from the Warsaw Academy of Music, later earning a master's degree and performing internationally as a soloist and with the Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. After meeting Brazilian pianist Aleida Schweitzer in Poland, he married her and moved to Brazil in 1971, where he permanently settled, embraced Brazilian citizenship, and built a prolific career bridging European classical traditions with the rich sounds of Brazilian culture.

Throughout his career in Brazil, Milewski formed the Milewski Duo alongside his wife, performing extensively across the country and undertaking international tours in Canada and Scandinavia. He released numerous acclaimed instrumental albums dedicated to the works of iconic Brazilian composers, such as Djavan, Milton Nascimento, and Paulinho da Viola, while also serving as a vital cultural ambassador by introducing Polish composers to Brazilian audiences. Deeply committed to arts education, he frequently held didactic concerts in schools, universities, and underserved communities, besides sharing his expertise as a jury member in international music competitions.

Milewski's musical legacy continued to expand through various collaborative projects, including his work with the Milewski Swing Quartet. He spent his final decades deeply integrated into the Brazilian musical landscape, residing in Curitiba until his passing in 2017. Alongside his interpretations of MPB greats, his contributions remain celebrated for enriching the dialogue between classical violin performance and Brazilian instrumental music, much like the cross-cultural artistic explorations seen in the works of contemporaries like Wagner Tiso and Radamés Gnattali.

Discography

• Jerzy Milewski, Aleida Schweitzer – Música Nova do Brasil (1981)
• Jerzy Milewski & Erich Lehninger – Música Para 2 Violinos (1983)
• Flausino Vale: Prelúdios Característicos e Concertantes para Violino Só (1984)
• Antonio Vivaldi, Orquestra de Câmara da Rádio e TV Polonesa, Agnieszka Duczmal, Jerzy Milewski – As Quatro Estações (1987)
• Ensemble, Duas Suítes Instrumentais de Luiz Eça (1988)
• Tocando Brasil (1991)
• Ecos & Reflexos (1991)
• Lupinstrumental (1996)
• Jerzy Milewski, Marcio Malard, Aleida Schweitzer – Música Brasileira para Violino, Violoncelo e Piano (1996)
• Helvius Vilela, Paulo Moura, Jerzy Milewski – Paulinho da Viola... sem Palavras...
• Jerzy Milewski, Aleida Schweitzer – Obras de Compositores Poloneses e Brasileiros