Hearing the orchestra from within
For many conductors, the score is a map. For Jakub Przybycień, it is also a memory.
When the Polish musician opens a symphony, he studies it from two perspectives at once: that of a conductor shaping the architecture of a performance, and that of an orchestral player who knows exactly what it feels like to sit inside the ensemble. It is a dual identity that has become one of the defining features of a career that is gathering momentum across Europe and North America.
The latest milestone came with his appointment as assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where he will work alongside music director Andris Nelsons beginning with the 2026/27 season. For a young conductor still in the early stages of an international career, few positions offer a more direct path into the highest levels of orchestral life.
Yet the route to Boston did not begin on the podium.
Raised in Poland, Przybycień first established himself as a violinist, competing in national and international competitions before joining the European Union Youth Orchestra. There, he experienced the orchestral world from the inside, performing under conductors including Bernard Haitink and Manfred Honeck. Those years provided something that no conducting class can fully replicate: an understanding of how an orchestra breathes, listens and reacts in real time.
By the time he moved to Switzerland to study violin in Bern, however, another ambition had already taken hold. Conducting was the long-term goal. While completing his violin studies, he simultaneously pursued conducting training in Poland and later at the Zurich University of the Arts under Johannes Schlaefli and Christoph-Mathias Mueller.
That combination of instrumental and conducting experience continues to shape his artistic outlook. Asked what qualities matter most in a conductor, Przybycień points first to technique and knowledge, but ultimately returns to a broader idea: vision. For him, every conductor must strive to develop a personal sound—one that remains recognisable while respecting the stylistic demands of each composer.
His growing reputation suggests that the musical world is taking notice.
In recent years, Przybycień has appeared repeatedly in some of the most competitive forums for emerging conductors. He was among the designated winners of the International Conducting Competition Rotterdam in 2025 and reached the finals of the Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award in Salzburg. Earlier distinctions included the Neeme Järvi Prize at the Gstaad Conducting Academy, while additional appearances in the Malko and Donatella Flick competitions placed him among a generation of conductors increasingly visible on the international circuit.
Another important chapter came in Barcelona, where he served as assistant conductor to Ludovic Morlot at the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya between 2023 and 2025. The experience provided regular exposure to a major professional orchestra and helped establish a relationship that continued beyond his formal appointment through guest engagements.
Like many conductors of his generation, Przybycień has also embraced a wide stylistic range. His work with the Balthasar Neumann ensembles and his experience as a Baroque violinist have informed an interest in historically informed performance practice, while his orchestral repertoire extends comfortably into the Romantic and twentieth-century traditions. Whether conducting Tchaikovsky or Ravel, he speaks of balancing individual interpretation with fidelity to the score.
For now, however, Boston stands as the clearest indication of where his career may be heading. In an era when many young conductors emerge through competitions alone, Jakub Przybycień represents a different model: a musician whose understanding of the orchestra was forged from within it.
And perhaps that is why, when he studies a score, he is not only searching for a sound. He is listening for the perspective of every player who helps bring it to life.
Where to find Jakub Przybycień
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