Conductor Ashraf Benyamin was born in Egypt in 1961. He studied at the Helwan University in Cairo, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, with honors, in 1983. For the next four years he served as teaching assistant in the Faculty of Music Education and was also a violinist with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra.
In 1987 A. Benyamin moved to Poznan, Poland, where he studied conducting, theory and composition with professors Witold Krzemieński and Renard Czajkowski at the I. J. Paderewski Academy of Music He received his Master's degree in 1992. He continued his studies in conducting by attending master classes with Jan Cober in Rotterdam, Holland in 1994.
Ashraf Benyamin's international debut took place, in 1992, conducting the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra. There followed numerous conducting engagements with symphony orchestras in Cairo, Poznan, Tilburg, Wroclaw. He has served as conductor of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra and as guest conductor of the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra and as conductor and artistic advisor for the City of Swidnica Symphony Orchestra.
In 1995 A. Benyamin became conductor and music director of Sinfonietta Swidnica, of which he was the founder. With this appointment he realized his ambition to create an orchestra dedicated to performing great music and making a significant contribution to the cultural life of the community. Through his leadership Sinfonietta Swidnica has established an outstanding musical and artistic reputation.
Ashraf Benyamin has conducted a wide rang of repertoire, from early music to modern works, and has performed with numerous international soloists, both vocal and instrumental. His commitment, enthusiasm and ability to inspire orchestras to perform exciting concerts have been endorsed by the public and critics alike. His achievements have been recognized in being awarded the Swidnica Prize for Art in 1997.
Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience. Samuel Johnson
