Michael Kaminski (born 2 September 1951) is an English musician. He is best known for playing violin in the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1973 and 1980 and touring from 1981 to 1986, as well as being a member of Electric Light Orchestra Part II from 1991 until its end in 2000, and then The Orchestra from 2000.
Early life
Kaminski was born in Harrogate, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. He made his first professional performance with the Leeds Orchestra when he was 14. During his time at the Leeds School of Music, he founded the band Cow, together with his friends John Hodgson, who played drums,[1] and John Marcangelo, who played keyboards and other percussion.
Career
In 1973, he joined Joe Soap and played violin on their Keep It Clean album. Their producer Sandy Roberton suggested Kaminski to Andy Roberts, who needed a violinist for his album. Thus Kaminski played in 1973 on Roberts' Andy Roberts and The Grand Stampede.[2]
After those albums Kaminski applied for the vacant post as ELO's violinist because of an advertisement in Melody Maker.[3] He was recruited after two interviews and was also the only person auditioning who did not play a wrong note. Bandleader Jeff Lynne held the audition.[2] Kaminski first appeared on ELO's 1973 studio album On the Third Day, playing violin on four tracks.
During his stint in ELO, Kaminski initially tried to imitate his predecessor Wilf Gibson by wearing a cape while playing the violin, but soon acquired his trademark blue violin, which he has played variants of ever since. Kaminski's own band is called Blue Violin.[4]
Kaminski was one of the three remaining string players for the group when Lynne decided to remove them in 1980. However, he performed on the tours for the ELO albums Time and Balance of Power, and on the 1983 single "Rock 'n' Roll Is King". Following ELO's breakup in 1986, Kaminski formed the group Player (later revised to OrKestra) alongside former ELO bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt; the pair were joined by former ELO cellist Hugh McDowell several years later. Increasingly dissatisfied with the promotional campaign for OrKestra, Kaminski, Groucutt and McDowell accepted an offer to perform in the debut tour for the ELO spinoff band ELO Part II in 1991 (Kaminski had previously appeared as a guest on one track from Part II's debut album). While promoted as guest artists from OrKestra,[5] Kaminski, Groucutt and McDowell performed alongside Part II as a single eight-piece unit during the tour. By 1993, Kaminski and Groucutt dissolved OrKestra and became full-time members of Part II; Kaminski thereby prominently features on the group's second album Moment of Truth, both playing violin on and receiving songwriting credits for several tracks. Kaminski continued to perform with ELO Part II for the remainder of its lifetime.[6]
Upon ELO Part II's rebranding as The Orchestra in 2000, Kaminski chose to remain with the band, contributing violin parts to its sole released studio album No Rewind the following year. As of 2024[update], Kaminski continues to perform with the Orchestra and is the only remaining member of the band (following the death of Louis Clark in 2021) to have formerly been involved with the original ELO.
Kaminski was featured as violinist on a selection of tracks from the second studio album, Beauty In Chaos, by the Anglo-Irish acoustic duo Fay & Latta.
