website: https://jakub.polaczyk.com
JAKUB POLACZYK is a young Polish composer, pianist and pedagogue, radio broadcaster living in New York City. Artistic Director of the International Chopin and Friends Festival in NYC. Jakub obtained his Artist Diploma in Composition at Carnegie Mellon University (2013) as a full scholarship recipient studying under Dr. Reza Vali. He obtained his Master in Music from the Academy of Music in Cracow, Poland (2010), and In 2009 he graduated with M.A. and B.A in Musicology from the Jagiellonian University of Cracow. His teachers in Poland were: Irena Rolanowska (piano), Marcel Chyrzynski (composition), Krzysztof Penderecki (orchestration), Marek Choloniewski (electronic music), Malgorzata Stankiewicz (musicology). Jakub is currently teaching at the New York Conservatory of Music. Jakub got invited to participate in many International composition masterclasses including: Space City Festival in Houston(2018), June in Buffalo(2017), International Trombone Festival in Redlands (2017), The Oregon Bach Festival in Eugene (2014), Synthesis in Poland (2013), Savellyspaja in Finalnd (2013), SoundSCAPE Festival in Italy (2011), The Etchings Festival in France (2010), and Ostrava Music Days in Czech Republic (2009). His compositions were performed and premiered at : NYC Electroacustic Music Festival (2018), Ball State New Music Festival (2018), Monteverdi and Contemporaries in Milano (2018), Yuri Bashmets Festival in Sochi in Russia (2017), COLA Mise-En in Brooklyn (2017), June in Buffalo (2017), Chopin and Friends in NYC (2015, 2016, 2017), NYCM - Students and Masters at the Carnegie Hall in New York (2016), Blue Waters Orchestra in Cleveland (2014), San Francisco New Music Annual Festival (2013),, ISCM in Sydney (2010), Tre Colori in Budapest (2010), Warsaw Autumn (2009) and at the numerous Music Conferences in the United States (2013-2018). As a pianist he collaborated with many artists and played with Carnegie Contemporary Ensemble, S.E.M., Mis-En, Centre Stage at Ballet Arts in Pelham, Martha Graham Dance Company and Cracow National Opera. He gave lectures and presentations at the Kosciuszko Foundation in NY (2018), Sichuan Conservatory of Music (2015), Music Academy of Krakow (2014), Carnegie Mellon University (2013, 2018) and different music schools in Poland. Jakub has won numerous awards in composition and songwriting. The most recent being: Winning New Jersey Guild of Composers, American Prize in Composition 2020 distinction on the International Composition Competition in memory of A. Schnitkee in Sochi (Russia, 2018), MACRO Composition Competition distinction in Madison (2017), the 3rd Place at the SongDoor Songwriting Competition in Nashville (2015), the Iron Composer Award winner at the 2013 Iron Competition held at Cleveland, Ohio and Polish Composers Society Baird Award winner in 2013. In 2013 he also received artistic scholarship from the Minister of Culture of Poland - "Young Poland". In 2010 he received a music scholarship from the Major of the City of Krakow. In both 2010 and 2007 he received the scholarship for artists from the Sapere Auso Foundation. Jakub's works are published by Donemus, PWM, Feniks, and Euterpe in Poland, and online by Babel Scores and Aromics. His music is released by Ablaze Records in the USA. Jakub is a Steinway & Sons Artist partner, and a member of ASCAP, SCI, CMS and the Polish Composers Union.