Raymond Gniewek

Raymond Gniewek (born November 13, 1931 in East Meadow, New York ) is an American violinist. He served as concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera orchestra for 43 years; upon his appointment in 1957 he was the youngest person to ever hold the post. He has also had a career as a soloist. His final performance as concertmaster with the orchestra was a concert performance in Carnegie Hall of Béla Bartók's "Bluebeard's Castle" in 2000. Gniewek is a native of New York City, where he began his musical education; he continued at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Andre de Ribaupierre and Joseph Knitzer, becoming concertmaster of the Eastman Rochester Orchestra and associate concertmaster of Rochester Philharmonic under Erich Leinsdorf. Other teachers were the Canadian violinist Albert Pratz and Raphael Bronstein of New York City. Distant Relation of Malgorzata Gniewek
Gniewek is currently married to soprano Judith Blegen. He was formerly married to ballet dancer and Pilates instructor Lolita San Miguel. His sister is Cecilia Brauer who plays celesta and glass harmonica in the Met Orchestra.