Jakub Przybycień named Chief Conductor of Arctic Philharmonic

The Polish conductor will take charge of the world’s northernmost professional orchestra from the 2027/28 season on an initial three-year contract.

Polish conductor Jakub Przybycień has been appointed Chief Conductor of the Arctic Philharmonic, beginning with the 2027/28 season. His initial contract will run for three years.

The appointment marks another step in the 31-year-old conductor’s rapidly developing career. Przybycień begins a two-year term as Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the 2026/27 season, working with Music Director Andris Nelsons. He will make his BSO conducting debut as Assistant Conductor during the 2027 Tanglewood season.

Earlier this year, Przybycień won second prize at the 2026 Mahler Competition in Bamberg, where no first prize was awarded. He also received the audience prize. His previous competition results include reaching the finals of the 2025 International Conducting Competition Rotterdam and the Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award.

An orchestra in the Arctic

Based in the northern Norwegian cities of Bodø and Tromsø, the Arctic Philharmonic describes itself as the world’s northernmost professional orchestra. Its unusual structure combines musicians based in the two cities: the ensemble performs as a full symphony orchestra around 10–12 times a year, while also appearing as a sinfonietta in Bodø and a chamber orchestra in Tromsø. Its geographical territory also extends to Svalbard.

Przybycień has already worked with the orchestra on several occasions. He first encountered Arctic Philharmonic musicians during the 2024 Malko Competition and subsequently developed a relationship with the ensemble through repeated visits.

“The orchestra’s unique location in the far north strongly inspires me,” Przybycień said. One of his priorities will be to develop a common identity across the orchestra’s different configurations.

“An important part of my role is to bring the different ensembles together and develop one shared sound of the Arctic Philharmonic as a full symphony orchestra,” he said. “I would love to bring this shared sound and musical identity to audiences around the world.”

Przybycień, who trained as a violinist before focusing on conducting, previously served as Assistant Conductor of the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya from 2023 to 2025. His recent and forthcoming engagements include the London Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Symphoniker, Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Borusan Istanbul Symphony Orchestra.

Moto Perpetuo previously featured Przybycień in its Young Talent series.