Jan Miłosz Zarzycki

In 1994, Jan Miłosz Zarzycki graduated with distinction in conducting from the class of Professor Marek Pijarowski in Wrocław. He further developed his conducting skills in Vienna and Berlin, where he had the opportunity to study the artistry of such distinguished conductors as Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Masur and Claudio Abbado.

He is also a graduate of the Instrumental Faculty of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice (1990) and, as a violinist, was a prizewinner in numerous music competitions. He also completed postgraduate studies in management for artists, creators and cultural professionals at the Faculty of Management of the University of Warsaw.

In 1988, he became conductor of the Jeunesses Musicales Student Chamber Orchestra at the Academy of Music in Katowice. From 1992 to 1993, he collaborated with the State Opera in Wrocław. In April 1994, he took part in the 1st Witold Lutosławski National Competition for Young Conductors in Białystok, where he was awarded joint First Prize as well as three special prizes, including the Orchestra Prize.

In 1997, he won Third Prize at the 7th Arturo Toscanini International Conducting Competition in Parma. This success led to a concert tour of Italy with the Arturo Toscanini Symphony Orchestra of Emilia-Romagna.

Jan Miłosz Zarzycki has also been a finalist and prizewinner at international music competitions in Italy, Spain and Hungary.

He has collaborated with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, Sinfonia Varsovia and the Warsaw Chamber Opera. He serves as General and Artistic Director of the Witold Lutosławski Chamber Philharmonic in Łomża.

He has conducted all of Poland’s philharmonic orchestras and has performed in Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Russia, Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia, the United States, Canada, Portugal, Mexico, Lebanon, Spain, Norway, Belgium, Lithuania and Belarus.

His discography comprises twenty-two recordings. One of them received the FRYDERYK 2019 Award of the Polish music industry, five were nominated for FRYDERYK Awards, and three received nominations for the International Classical Music Awards.

He has served on the juries of numerous international conducting competitions, including the European Union Conducting Competition (2018), the International Conducting Competition Città di Brescia – Giancarlo Facchinetti (2019, 2021), the Arthur Nikisch Conducting Competition (2020), and the 1st International Orchestra Conducting Competition “Universidad de Almería” (2021).

In 2008, the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage honoured him with a Special Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Polish musical culture. In 2011, he received a diploma for outstanding achievements in promoting the legacy of Fryderyk Chopin. In 2013, he was awarded the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis. He has also received the Award of the Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship for achievements in artistic creation and for his contribution to the promotion and preservation of culture.

In 2014, the President of the Republic of Poland conferred upon him the title of Professor of Musical Arts.

Jan Miłosz Zarzycki is a member of the Department of Conducting at the Faculty of Composition, Conducting and Theory of Music of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.