Mik Kaminski

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Mik Kaminski

Background information
Birth name Michael Kaminski
Born September 2, 1951 (1951-09-02) (age 56)
Origin Harrogate, England
Genre(s) Rock music
Pop
Classical music
Occupation(s) Musician
Instrument(s) Violin, Keyboards
Label(s) Jet Records
Associated acts Electric Light Orchestra
Violinski
OrKestra
ELO Part II
The Orchestra
Website Musical career

Mik Kaminski (born Michael Kaminski, 2 September 1951 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire) played violin for the Electric Light Orchestra between 1973 and 1979.

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 (drums) and John Marcangelo (keyboards and percussion). 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's Andy Roberts And The Grand Stampede LP.

After those albums Kaminski applied for the vacant post as ELO's violinist, because of an advertisement in the Melody Maker. He was recruited because "he was the only one who did not play a bum note" when Jeff Lynne held the audition.

Kaminski was one of the three remaining strings players for the group when Lynne decided to remove them. However, later on, he joined the ELO Part II , playing as part of the live touring band.

Apart from the hits he had with ELO, in early 1979 Kaminski made the UK singles chart Top 40, as the frontman of an instrumental, one hit wonder group called Violinski, with their single, "Clog Dance".