Conductor Wojciech Milewski is an energetic and dynamic presence on and off the podium and was recently recognized as one of Charleston’s “40 under 40” by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. He is a recent winner of the 2023 American Prize in Conducting, the recipient of the 2019 HSO Harold Farberman Prize, and was a finalist in the 2019 Los Angeles Conducting Competition. He has collaborated with global artists such as Michael Chioldi, Ben Baker, Yuriy Bekker, Tuffus Zimbabwe, Cassie Pilgrim, Phillip Bush, and Robert Auler. As a conductor, he is passionate about creating lively and interactive concert experiences, fostering community development, audience engagement and inclusion. The 2024-2025 season marks his conducting debut with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, and other recent performance highlights include guest performances with the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra, Henderson Symphony Orchestra, and the Lee County Orchestra (NC).
In his ninth season as Music Director of the Summerville Orchestra, the organization has greatly expanded in all facets. The S.O. was the winner of the 2023 American Prize in Orchestral Performance, and 2nd place winner of the Vytautas Marijosius award for its innovative programming efforts, which include its unique Encore Series chamber series. Since 2016, the S.O. has started three separate outreach series and a youth orchestra program, commissioned new works by composers such as Rene Orth and Chris Pilsner, and collaborated with artists and organizations from around the world, even securing an honorary patronage from the Polish embassy for their May 2024 performance of Mieczysław Karłowicz’s “Eternal Songs.”
At home in the opera pit, Wojciech is also in his fifth season as Music Director of Charleston Opera Theater, having recently conducted their performances of Elisir d’Amore and even appearing onstage in the role of Manny the accompanist in the May 2024 performances of Terrence McNally’s Masterclass. He will be on the podium for their November 2024 performances of La Bohème. Outside of Charleston, Wojciech served as Music Director for the world premiere of Joe Illick’s UnShakeable with Santa Fe Opera in 2016, and also as Assistant Conductor of the Opera NEO festival in San Diego and Associate Conductor at El Paso Opera.
Off the podium, he maintains an active performing career as a pianist and clarinetist, regularly appearing on the Summerville Orchestra’s Encore Series, as the main pianist for Charleston Opera Theater, and performing locally throughout the Charleston area. Previous performing experience includes the second clarinet position with the Roswell Symphony (NM), and solo/featured appearances with Opera Southwest, New Mexico Symphonic Chorus, San Juan Symphony, and the National Broadway Tours of “Wicked” and “Book of Mormon.” He is also a staff accompanist at the College of Charleston, where he also serves as the vocal coach and diction coach within the Opera Department.
A native of Poland, Wojciech grew up in New York City. He graduated with distinction with his Master’s of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Mexico, and graduated summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Oswego.