Jerzy Maksymiuk was born in Grodno in Poland, and studied violin, piano, conducting and composition at the Warsaw Conservatory. In 1964 he won first prize in the Paderewski Piano Competition but soon turned his attention principally to conducting, in particular in the establishment and extensive touring throughout Europe of the Polish Chamber Orchestra. From 1975 to 1977 he was also Principal Conductor of the Polish National Radio Orchestra and in 1984 was appointed Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with which he has toured extensively and made a number of commercial recordings.

Jerzy Maksymiuk has worked with many of the major orchestras in Europe, the United States of America and Japan, and in 1990 made his début at the English National Opera with performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.