Jakub Polaczyk (b. 1983, Krakow) is a New York based Polish composer and pianist. Runner up the John Eaton New York Composers Circle Competition (2024), Double Silver Medal winner of the Global Music Awards (2023), Winner of the 2020 American Prize in Composition (chamber professional category) and Iron Instant Composer Award in Cleveland (2013), OH. He graduated from Jagiellonian University, Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow and Carnegie Mellon University and as a Socrates-Erasmus exchange program he studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Since 2015 he has been teaching at the New York Conservatory of Music. He was the vice president of NYDAI and director of the International Chopin and Friends Festival in NYC (2020-2023) and was directing the International Composition Competition "New Vision" in New York City (2018-2023). Since 2021 Jakub has been hosting his own program called "Coffees after Bach" at the Polish Radio WRKL: AM910, NYC/AM1030, Chicago. 
   As a composer and orchestrator associated with the International Music Organization of New York and Polish Theater Institute in the USA, additionally served as a Music Director of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Newark, NJ (2019-2023). He lectured at: Carnegie Mellon University (2013, 2018), Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow (2014), Sichuan Conservatory of Music (2015), Kosciuszko Foundation in NY (2018), Escola De Música de Brasilia(2019), Wheaton College in Chicago (2020) Iowa Community College in Des Moines (2020), Gonzaga University (2021), University of Nevada Las Vegas (2022), University of Washington in Seattle (2023), University of Kentucky in Lexington (2024), University of Louisville (2024) and Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing (2024).
     As a composer he participated in many courses, conferences and festivals in: USA, Canada, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia such as: ISCM, Warsaw Autumn, June in Buffalo, Bach Oregon Composer Symposium, SoundSCAPE, Annual Festival of Contemporary Music in San Francisco, Ostrava Music Days, NYCEMF, Janacek Festival in Czech Republic, Tre Colori in Budapest, Yuri Bashment's  Festival in Russia, Druskomanija in Lithuania, Cracow International Composers Festival, Ball State New Music Festival, KLK in Ukraine, SPCCF in Brazil, DICMF in South Korea, ICCM in Spain, OUA Electroacoustic Music Festival in Japan, Atemporanea in Argentina. His works have been performed internationally at such prestigious venues as: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln and Kaufmann Centers in New York City, Recital Hall West in Sydney, Vietnam Grand Concert Hall and were performed by: Brazil National Orchestra, Bulgarian National Orchestra in Sofia, Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra, Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Blue Waters Orchestra in Cleveland, Carnegie Mellon Orchestra, Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Penderecki Music Academy of Krakow Orchestra, Lexington Chamber Orchestra, Janacek Orchestra, Orion Orchestra, Lviv KLK String Orchestra, Promeria Orchestra and Ensembles: Mise-En Ensemble, S.E.M ensemble, Pudget Tacoma Wind Ensemble, Four Corners, Avanti, NED, Cracow Duo, Polanski Duo, Litvos Trio, Slee Sinfonietta, Carnegie Contemporary Ensemble, JACK Quartet, Dedalus Ensemble, NeoQuartet, Cracow Golden Woodwind Quintet, Daegu Contemporary Ensemble, Ostrava Soloists, Moscow Virtuoso Soloists, Goodmori Ensemble, Gentile Trio, Blow Up Percussion Rome, Argus Quartet, Palisades Virtuosi Trio, Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble.
    As a pianist collaborated with: Christine Walevska, Pei-Wen, Nadia Rodriguez, Kofi Hayford, Shu-Wei Tseng, Justyna Giermola, Beata Halska, Roberto Vasquez, Marta Płomińska, Sylwia Olszyńska, Ivan Ivanov, Wioletta Strączek, Piotr Lato, Wojtek Komsta, Anna Wilk, Agnieszka Świgut, Renata Guzik, Margot Zarzycki, Dominika Zamara, Svetla Kalcheva, Gaga Wong, Hyangwoo Lih and many others singers, instrumentalists and ballet companies in NYC metropolitan area and National Opera of Krakow. He achieved scholarships from: Composers' Guild of New Jersey (2022), ASCAP Plus Award (2020-2023), Carnegie Mellon Foundation (2011-2013), Sapere Auso (2007, 2009), Minister of Culture of Poland "Young Poland" (2013) and Mayor of Cracow (2010). In 2019 in Poland artist was ranked fourth and was nominated for the Danuta Szaflarska Prize in Arts: Global-Local-Great Annual Ranking and in 2024 was placed 3rd and became a recipient of the Cultural Passport in Nowy Sącz. His music is published by: Donemus, PWM, Babel Scores, Arcomics and was released by Ablaze Records and Albany Records. Documentary Movie "Conversations with Jakub Polaczyk" directed by Dennis Woytek won bronze at the 44th Telly Awards  in NYC (2023). Artist was awarded the Bronze Medal "Gloria Artis" by the Minister of Culture of Poland in October 2023. In 2024 in the place of his childhood he was awarded the honorable decoration of the city of Stary Sącz. For the contributions for Poland abroad in 2024 the president of Poland  awarded  artist the highest honor: Gold Merit Cross Medal. The ceremony of decoration took place during the Day of Independence of Poland at the Polish Consulate NYC in November 2024.