Alicja Smietana
A versatile Polish-British violinist and composer who seamlessly bridges classical traditions with contemporary film scores and folk music.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Musical artist·Birthday: August 9·Millennials
Biography
Alicja Smietana's music is a borderless conversation between her Polish roots and her life in Britain. Born in Poland in 1983, she began violin studies early, graduating from the Academy of Music in Krakow before moving to the UK for further study at the Royal Academy of Music. Rather than confining herself to the orchestral podium, Smietana has built a multifaceted career as a performer, arranger, and composer. She is a sought-after session musician, her violin heard on the soundtracks of major films like 'The Theory of Everything' and 'The Danish Girl'. With her ensemble, she explores the intersections of classical, folk, and contemporary music, often drawing on Slavic melodies. As a composer, she creates works for film, theatre, and the concert stage, and she is also a dedicated educator. Smietana represents a modern model of the classical musician: technically superb, creatively curious, and adept at moving between different musical worlds.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Alicja was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alicja Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Alicja's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Performed as a session violinist on Oscar-winning film scores, including 'The Theory of Everything'.
- Founded and performs with the Aonian String Quartet, which explores a diverse repertoire from classical to folk.
- Composes original music for film, media, and the concert stage, blending classical and contemporary influences.
- Arranges and adapts music for various ensembles, particularly focusing on Slavic folk traditions.
Did You Know?
She is also a skilled viola player, often switching between violin and viola for different projects.
She has performed and recorded with popular artists outside the classical world, such as the band Clean Bandit.
She is a professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
She co-created a multimedia performance project, 'The Mermaid of Warsaw', based on Polish legend.
“My violin is a bridge between the folk melodies of my childhood and the city I live in now.”
