Born in 1907, Virginia Majewski followed her US Army band director father’s musical footsteps by studying violin and viola, eventually earning a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in 1936. She began her career as a music teacher as well as a member of the women’s group Marianne Kneisel String Quartet.

In a time where women were not considered for prominent orchestral positions, Majewski set out for Hollywood where she was amongst one of the first women hired by the MGM Orchestra as principal viola. She also played for other major studio orchestras preforming hundreds of film and television scores. In addition to her work on the big screen, Majewski played in backing orchestras for notable singers such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole.

Virginia Majewski died in 1995, but her musicianship, passion, and reputation inspired both her contemporaries, as well as, future musicians, paving the way for women in the music industry.