Rafal Maszkowski was a Polish musician, violinist and conductor. He was born in Lviv on July 11, 1838, the son of the Polish painter Jan Maszkowski and brother of mathematician Karol Maszkowski and painter Marceli Maszkowski.
From 1855, he studied violin at the Vienna Conservatory with Joseph Hellmesberger the Elder. He later studied in Leipzig with Ferdinand David and Alexander Dreyschock. Because of financial difficulties, he also gave private violin lessons.
From 1862 to 1863, Maszkowski was concertmaster of a symphony orchestra in Colmar. He conducted orchestras at the Hamburg Singakademie from 1863 to 1866, at Im Turneum in Schaffhausen from 1866 to 1869, and in Koblenz. He later served as rector of the Music Institute in Koblenz until 1890.
In 1889 or 1890, an illness left two fingers of his left hand unable to function. He could no longer play the violin and devoted himself entirely to conducting. He moved to Breslau, where from 1890 until his death he led the local symphony orchestra, the Breslauer Orchester-Verein. Its first concert under his direction, in October 1890, was well received by audiences and specialists, and subsequent concerts played to full halls. His last public appearance was on February 13, 1901. He died in Breslau on March 14, 1901.