composer; b. 8th March 1983 in Krakow. In 2010 he graduated from the Academy of Music in Krakow, having studied composition under Marcel Chyrzyński, electronic music under Marek Chołoniewski, and orchestration under Krzysztof Penderecki. In 2009 completed studies in musicology at the Jagiellonian University with the thesis written under the supervision of Małgorzata Woźna-Stankiewicz. In 2010-2011 he attended a postgraduate programme in computer, audiovisual, and film music in Łódź. In 2013 he obtained the Artist Diploma in Composition at the Carnegie Mellon University, as a full scholarship recipient studying under Dr. Reza Vali.

In recognition of his artistic achievements, Polaczyk received a scholarship of the Sapere Auso Foundation for the academic year 2006/2007. In 2008/2009 he participated in the Socrates-Erasmus student exchange programme, studying composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Music in Brussels with Jan van Landeghem. In 2010 he received a scholarship from the City of Krakow, and in 2013 – the "Młoda Polska" ("Young Poland") scholarship of the Ministry of Culture.

Jakub participated in a range of composing courses run by the Academy of Music in Krakow, as well as in summer courses in Ostrava (2009), Auvillar (2010), Maccagno (2012), Sävellyspaja (2013), Radziejowice (2013), Eugene (2014), Buffalo (2017), Redlands (2017) and Houston (2018). He worked under the supervision of Per Nørgård, Krzysztof Penderecki, Marta Ptaszyńska, Rytis Mauzulis, Fabien Lévy, Louis Karchin, Rebecca Saunders, Sukshi Kang, Leonardo Balada, David Macbridge, Mauricio Sotelo, Chen Yi, Agata Zubel, Erick Ewazen, Josh Levin, Henrik Hellstensius, and Zygmunt Krauze.

Jakub has won numerous awards in composition and songwriting. He received the 3rd prize at the Crescendo Composition Competition in Tarnów for DSCH for piano, flute, vibraphone and double bass (2004); 2nd prize (1st was not awarded) at the Adam Didur Composing Competiton in Sanok for An Ancient Book for voice and piano (2006); honourable mention at the Patri Patriae Composition Competition in Katowice for ApokElipsis for chamber orchestra (2006); 1st prize at the 5th Tadeusz Ochlewski Composition Competition for Combinations on Olympus for trombone solo (2007); honourable mention at the Composition Competition organized by the Polish Composers' Union and Polish Double Bass Society in Wrocław for Fantasy from stele for double bass and piano (2007); 1st prize at the Composition Competition marking the John Paul II Days for Oratio Fatima for mixed choir (2008); honourable mention at the 3rd "Srebrna Szybka" Composition Competition for Children and Youth in Krakow for Magic Map for harp and electronic sounds (2008); special award at the Jeju International Composition Competition in South Korea for Jam.exe for string orchestra (2009); 1st prize at the "Muzyka i Zabawa" Composition Competition held by the Centre for Children Art (Centrum Sztuki Dziecka) in Poznań for Jancio Muzykant for string quartet, computer and a child (2009); 1st prize at the the Orion Composers’ Competition in London for Fanfares Procession for orchestra (2010; the work was included in the Orion Symphony Orchestra's repertoire); honourable mentions at the "Mikołajowskie Granie" competition (part of the 3rd Henryk Mikołaj Górecki Competition in Rydułtowy) for Aleatoranka and Ciuchcia Tuwima for piano solo (2011); honourable mention at the Excellence in Composition Competition in Thessaloniki (2011); 2nd prize (1st was not awarded) at the Generace Competition in Ostrava for BAden-baDen-badEn (2012); honourable mention at the G. Archer Composition Competition in Pittsburgh for String Quartet No.1 "Postcards from Pittsburgh" (2012); honourable mention at the Adam Didur Competition in Sanok for I'vo Piangendo for bass-baritone and string quartet (2012); finalist of the 4th Antonín Dvořák Composition Competition in Prague (2013); 1st prize (ex aequo) at the 54th Tadeusz Baird Competition for Young Composers for Cosas que puedieron ser to the text by J. Borges (2013); 1st prize and the title of Iron Composer 2013 at the Iron Composition Competition in Cleveland, Ohio (2013); 3rd Place at the SongDoor Songwriting Competition in Nashville, Tennessee (2015); MACRO Composition Competition distinction in Madison, Wisconsin (2017), distinction at the International Composition Competition in memory of A. Schnitkee in Sochi, Russia (2018), the American Prize in Composition – two honorable distinctions in professional divisions for choral and chamber instrumental composition (2018); 1st prize at the 4th Concorso Internazionale di Compozicione del Clavicembalo in Milan for Trebito di Pandora for harpsichord (2019); the American Prize in Composition – first prize in instrumental chamber music professional division (2020).

Jakub Polaczyk's works were performed at the New Music New Faces Festival in Krakow (2005), Adam Didur Festival in Sanok (2006), Days of Krakow Composers (2007, 2010, 2011, 2013), Festival of Polish Music in Krakow (2007), "Srebrna Szybka" Festival of Music for Children and Youth in Krakow (2008), Ostrava Music Days (2009), Audio Art Festival in Krakow (2010), "Music Axes" in Krakow (2011), concerts held as part of the “Warsaw Autumn” Festival (2009, 2011), 5th International Contemporary Music Festival in Daegu (2008), International Conference in La Coruna, “Alma Mater” Festival in Budapest (2010), ISCM World Day of Music in Sydney (2010), Druskomnija in Lithuania (2012, 2013), "Summer Sounds" in Porvoo (2013) and Annual Contemporary Music Festival in San Francisco (2013), Blue Waters Orchestra in Cleveland (2014), Chopin and Friends in NYC (2015, 2016, 2017), NYCM - Students and Masters at the Carnegie Hall in New York (2016), June in Buffalo (2017), COLA Mise-En in Brooklyn (2017), Yuri Bashmet’s Festival in Sochi in Russia (2017), Monteverdi and Contemporaries in Milano (2018), Ball State New Music Festival (2018), NYC Electroacustic Music Festival (2018), and at the numerous Music Conferences in the United States (2013-2018).

Jakub’s works are published by Donemus, PWM, Feniks, and Euterpe in Poland, and online by Babel Scores and Arcomics. His music is released by Ablaze Records, Albany Records in the USA. In 2022 Awarded Silver Medal on Global Music Awards in California for his album "Union Square".

Polaczyk's compositions are the musical background for the movie A Conversation with Jakub Polaczyk, directed by Dennis Woytek (a professor at Duquesne University in Pennsylvania). The premiere of this documentary movie took place at the Polish & Slavic Center in Brooklyn on March 9, 2023 - on the occasion of Jakub Polaczyk's 40th birthday. The documentary was awarded Bronze statuette at the 44th Telly Awards in New York in the category of non-commercial documentaries.

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.

Jakub Polaczyk is teaching at the New York Conservatory of Music (since 2015). He gave lectures and presentations at Carnegie Mellon University (2013, 2018), Music Academy of Krakow (2014), Sichuan Conservatory of Music (2015), Kosciuszko Foundation in NY (2018), Wheaton University in Chicago, Nevada University Las Vegas (2022), Washington University in Seattle (2023). Polaczyk serves as Music Director of the Chopin and Friends Festival in New York City (since 2018) and Director of the JP2 Friendship Center in Manhattan, NY (since 2022). Since 2021 hosting program "Coffees after Bach" in the Polish Radio Chicago Am1030.

Jakub is a Steinway & Sons Artist partner, a member of ASCAP and the Polish Composers' Union.