Milan Šetena, was born in Prague, received his first violin lessons at an early age from Bedřich Čapek (from 1974 to 1982) and went on to study at the Prague Conservatory with František Pospíšil (from 1982 to 1988). In 1987 he became first concert master in the newly-founded Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester under Claudio Abbado. The following year he moved to Vienna, where he continued his studies with Alfred Staar. In 1990 he was engaged as a first violinist in the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, and since 1993 he has been a member of the Vienna Philharmonic.
As a member of the Wiener Virtuosen, the Wiener Geigen Quartet and the Schulhoff Quartet, his musical career is documented on numerous recordings. He has performed worldwide at prestigious festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg, the Festival Mitte Europa and the White Nights Festival in St Petersburg. As a soloist he has performed in numerous concerts worldwide.
In 2009 he recorded the CD Wiener Romanzen with his long-term duo partner, pianist Marie Vigilante. Milan Šetena appeared as a soloist alongside the concert master of the Vienna Philharmonic Rainer Honeck on the CD series Wertvolle Klänge for the Austrian National Bank, for which he also recorded a solo album with the Vienna Classical Players in 2012.
Alongside his work as an orchestral and chamber musician Milan Šetena also works regularly as a chamber music coach and was a jury member at the international chamber music competition Concertino Praga in 2012, and at the Antonín Dvořák International Chamber Music Competition in 2014.
Milan Šetena plays a violin made by Sanctus Seraphin (Venice, 1733), made available to him thanks to the Austrian National Bank.
