Praised for his “Clear and projected” voice (New York Concert Review), “Seamless mastery of vocal technique,” (OperaSlovakia) as well as his "Stunning" and "Shimmering" sound (Chicago Concert Review and Giesserner Allgemeine respectively), American Tenor Shawn Mlynek has been gaining attention both nationally and internationally as a tenor to watch.

Recent worldwide debuts include: Carnegie Hall, Slovak National Theater, Lincoln Center's David Gaffin Hall, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Alteoper Frankfurt, Stadttheater Giessen, Teatro Principal de Burgos (Spain), Dallas Chamber Symphony, Bach Orchester Stuttgart, Haymarket Opera Company, Toronto’s ‘Nocturnes in the City’ concert series, Opera Fayetteville, the Cincinnati Early Music Festival, Indianapolis Opera, Utah Festival Opera, St Croix Landmarks Society (Virgin Islands).

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He has recorded television productions as a soloist for ARD (Germany’s Channel 1), radio productions with ERF’s National Radio Program, and can be heard on the OEHMS Classics and JPC labels’ cd recordings under the baton of internationally acclaimed Michael Hofstetter.

Splitting his time between stage performances and chamber music, Mlynek is a founding member of the chamber music duo Duo Léger with internationally -lauded harpist Eleonora Congiu (Belgian National Orchestra, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie).  They have received concert invitations and made debuts in important concert series throughout Germany, England, and the United States in addition to advancing in chamber music competitions such as the Paris International Competition as well as the J.F. Biber Competition. (Linz, Austria)

Mr. Mlynek has won awards in the Komitas International Competition in Berlin, the Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg Competition, Czech and Slovak International Competition, the Shirley Rabb Winston Competition (NSAL), the Harold Haugh Light Opera Competition, and was awarded a competitive Pittsburgh Concert Society Wickline Seamen Grant..  He has also been named an international finalist in the John Kerr award for English song.

In addition to his performance career, Mlynek is a sought-after vocal pedagogue currently serving on voice faculty for the Institut of Kirchenmusik (Mainz, Germany), as well as serving on faculty and as a Visiting Artist for such institutions as The Crescendo Summer Institute (Hungary), the University of Miami, Bowling Green State University, and the Poco a Poco Festival while also maintaing a private studio.  His students have been seen on such international stages as Oper Frankfurt, Oper Dortmund, Irish National Opera, Theater Biel, Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg, and the Konzerthaus Berlin and have won awards in numerous music competitions as well as being admitted to major conservatories around the world.

Mlynek holds a B.F.A from Carnegie Mellon University and a Masters degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).

More than just a singer, Mlynek also has co-founded the Cincinnati Chamber Opera and served as its artistic director for the first five seasons. He currently lives in Giessen, Germany with his mini-schnauzer Clove.