Felix Yaniewicz (1762-1848) was a celebrated violin virtuoso and composer who settled in Britain and co-founded the first Edinburgh music festival in 1815.
Born in Vilnius, Yaniewicz rose to prominence as a musician in the Polish Royal Chapel; his career took him to Vienna, Italy, and Paris before he fled the French Revolution and came to Britain. After spells in London and Liverpool, and touring concerts up and down the country in fashionable cities such as Bath, he made his home in Edinburgh.
This website tells his remarkable story, which has come to light after the discovery of a historic instrument bearing his signature. This was the stimulus for a project culminating in an exhibition and events programme in Edinburgh in 2022, celebrating his musical legacy in Scotland, and the vital role of migration in shaping our heritage.
Born in Vilnius, Yaniewicz rose to prominence as a musician in the Polish Royal Chapel; his career took him to Vienna, Italy, and Paris before he fled the French Revolution and came to Britain. After spells in London and Liverpool, and touring concerts up and down the country in fashionable cities such as Bath, he made his home in Edinburgh.
This website tells his remarkable story, which has come to light after the discovery of a historic instrument bearing his signature. This was the stimulus for a project culminating in an exhibition and events programme in Edinburgh in 2022, celebrating his musical legacy in Scotland, and the vital role of migration in shaping our heritage.
