Jakub Derej (2008) – pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. Graduate of the Feliks Rybicki High School of Music of the First Degree in Tychy, student of the S. Moniuszko State Music School Complex in Bielsko-Biała in the piano class. He performs classical and jazz music. Laureate of several dozen awards and honors of competitions of national and international rank, including several organized by the Cen-trum of Artistic Education (CEA), and obtained the title of “Distinguished Finalist” of the XLIX Artistic Olympiad in the music history section. Scholarship holder of the National Fund for Children, Winner of the Bielsko-Biala Mayor’s Award and the Tychy Mayor’s Award. Finalist of the Young Musician of the Year 2026 competition organized by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the National Institute of Music and Dance and TVP Kultura. Author of the album “Seventeen” with his own compositions in the jazz-illustrative style. Participant in the national tour of the Polish Piano Foundation in 2024/2025. He made his debut as a soloist with the Lviv Chamber Orchestra at the age of 13. He conducted the National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and the Lviv Chamber Orchestra „Academy” among others. In 2021 – 2024 he played in Adam Sztaba’s orchestras. He has perfected his skills with great pedagogues and masters at courses and music workshops, among others – such as: International Piano Forum in Sanok, National Piano Workshop in Łańcut, Summer Academy of Music in Cracow, Winter Academy of Music at the European Krzysztof Penderecki Music Center in Lusławice, CHO-JAZZ International Jazz Workshop in Chodzież, “Orchestra4Young” orchestral and vocal workshops in Bydgoszcz and International Jazz Workshop in Puławy. He performs in a variety of musical styles and instrumental lineups such as piano duo, jazz trio, big band, and orchestra. He has performed at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, the 79. And 80. International Chopin Festival in Duszniki-Zdrój, at the European Krzysztof Penderecki Music Center in Lusławice, at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, at the Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz, Władysław Szpilman Polish Radio Studio in Warsaw and at the Szczecin Philharmonic, where he was awarded second place in the nationwide Edu Virtuoso composition competition.
List of achievements – among others:
04.2026 Finalist in the Young Musician of the Year 2026 competition organized by The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, The National Institute of Music and Dance, and TVP Culture
03.2026 Honorable Mention at the 1st National Aural Training Competition “Aures Spatia-les” in Katowice co-organized by the Center for Artistic Education
02.2026 1st place in the jazz trio category at the 2nd National M. Kosz Jazz Pianists’ Competition in Cracow
02.2026 3rd place in the solo piano category at the 2nd National M. Kosz Jazz Pianists’ Competition in Cracow
01.2026 Qualified through a competition for the “Orche-stra4Young” youth orchestra conducted by Adam Sztaba at the Pomeranian Philharmonic in Krakow Ignacy Jan Paderewski in Bydgoszcz (Poland)
01.2026 1st place at the National Competition of Contemporary Music for Children and Youth “Silver Fast” in Cracow, co-organized by the Center for Artistic Education
08.2025 Recording of the original album “Seventeen” with own compositions in the jazz-illustrative style
07.2025 Winner of the 5th Alternative Competition in the category “Ballad, Scherzo, Barcarolle” and distinction in the category “Improvisation,” organized by Polish Radio Chopin (5th Virtual Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth)
06.2025 Distinction at the Junior Jazz Festival competition in Wadowice
05.2025 First place at the 12th International Piano Competition “Città di San Donà di Piave ” Teatro Metropolitano Astra – San Donà di Piave (Venice)
04.2025 Achievement of the title of “Distinguished Finalist” of the XLIX Artistic Olympiad in the section of history of music awarded by the Main Committee of the Artistic Olympiad based in the King John III Palace Museum in Warsaw
03.2025 Grand Prix and 1st place at the 1st National Piano Competition “The Piano Sounds of Zywiec” organized by the W. Rowicki State Music School in Zywiec and special prizes:
- special prize – publication of his own composition in the music magazine “Piano Notebook”.
- special award – invitation to perform at the concert “Young Talents” in the Chopin Manor House in Duszniki Zdroj as part of the 80th International Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdroj
- award for the best performance of a piece by Marta Mołodyńska-Wheeler
- special award for the best composition
03.2025 Second place at the 1st National Jazz Improvisation Competition organized by the Center for Artistic Education and the I. J. Paderewski State Music School in Konin
03.2025 Honorable mention at the VIII West Pomeranian Piano Competition of national level organized by the Center for Artistic Education and the F. Nowowiejski State Music School Complex in Szczecin, and special prizes:
- special award of Prof. Wojciech Kubica of the Academy of Music in Lodz
- award for the best performance of a contemporary work
11.2024 Performance at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw as part of the Young Talented Chamber Music concert in the series Young Virtuosos organized by the National Children’s Fund
08.2024 Performance at the 79th International Chopin Festival in Duszniki-Zdrój
07.2024 Qualifying for the Fourth National Concert Tour “Pianists of the Adam Harasiewicz Con-Courses”
06.2024 First place at the 2nd National Competition of Piano Duos “Quattro Mani”
05.2024 Finalist of the 7th Junior Jazz Festival in Wadowice
05.2024 First place at the “KraCamera 2024” International Chamber Music Competition in Krakow
05.2024 Grand Prix at the International Jazz Competition “Magnolia 2024” in Warsaw
05.2024 Third place at the International Piano Competition “Broumovska Klavesa” in Broumov, Czech Republic
04.2024 Honorable mention at the 1st National Festival of Music Arrangement – Arangement Fest 2024 in Kalisz
04.2024 Third place at the 7th Warsaw Chamber Music Forum organized by the Center for Artistic Education in Warsaw and the F. Chopin State Music School Complex in Warsaw
03.2024 First place at the 9th National Competition of Piano Duos “Let’s Play Together” in Zamość, organized by the Center for Artistic Education, the Karol Szymanowski State School of Music I and II Degree in Zamość and the Zamojskie Association “Muzyka Art”
03.2024 Special prize at the 9th National Piano Duo Competition “Let’s Play Together” in Zamość organized by the Center for Artistic Education, the Karol Szymanowski State School of Music I and II Degree in Zamość and the Zamojskie Stowarzyszenie “Muzyka Art” – an invitation to perform at the concert “Young Talents” at the Chopin Manor in Duszniki Zdrój as part of the 79th International Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój
03.2024 Second place in the chamber ensemble category at the 17th Karol and Antoni Szafranek National Forum for Young Instrumentalists in Rybnik or-organized by the Center for Artistic Education in Warsaw and the Karol and Antoni Szafranek State School of Music I and II Degree in Rybnik
03.2024 Second place in the solo piano category at the 17th Karol and Antoni Szafranek National Forum for Young Instrumentalists in Rybnik, organized by the Center for Artistic Education in Warsaw and the Karol and Antoni Szafranek State School of Music of the First and Second Degree in Rybnik
03.2024 Second place at the Silesian Festival of Musical Creativity organized by the Ludomir Różycki State Music School of the First and Second Degree in Gliwice
02.2024 Conducting the Lviv Chamber Orchestra “Academy” as part of the XIX International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok
02.2024 Distinction “Individuality of the Forum” within the XIX International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok
02.2024 Distinction for the best performance of a piano concerto with orchestra within the XIX International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok – Konstantin Vilensky – Variations on Haydn for 4 hands and string orchestra with the Lviv Chamber Orchestra “Akademia”
02.2024 Honorable mention at the 1st National Mieczyslaw Kosz Jazz Pianist Competition at the Bronislaw Rutkowski School of Music of the First and Second Degree in Cracow
01.2024 Qualification and participation in the “Orchestra4Young” youth orchestra led by Adam Sztaba at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz
01.2024 Finalist of the 30th International Father Kazimierz Szwarlik Festival of Carols and Pastorals in Bedzin
01.2024 Qualification and participation in the youth orchestra “SoMusic” led by Adam Sztaba in the Ursynów Cultural Center “Alternatives” in Warsaw
12.2023 Performance solo and with saxophone quartet at the concert of scholarship recipients of the SKILLS Program of the National Fund for Children at the Royal Castle in Warsaw
10.2023 To qualify for a scholarship from the SKILLS Program of the National Fund for Children
07.2023 Third place at the Competition of Jazz Instrumentalists and Vocalists “For the Golden Baszta” at the Baszta Jazz Festival in Czchow.
06.2023 Finalist of the 6th edition of the Junior Jazz Wadowice competition
04.2023 Finalist of the Władysław Kędra National Piano Competition for second-level music schools organized by the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź
04.2023 Second place at the Second International Music Competition “Music is Life” organized by the Association of Managers and Teachers of Artistic Education in Trzciana
02.2023 Distinction for the best performance of a piano concert with the orchestra within the framework of the XVIII International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok – Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Concerto in B-flat Major, Op.19 No.2 with the “Akademia” Chamber Orchestra of Lviv
02.2023 Distinction “Organist Forum” within the framework of the XVIII International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok
02.2023 Conducting the Chamber Orchestra of the National Philharmonic – J.S.Bach – Piano Concerto in D minor BWV 1052, part 3 as part of the XVIII International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok
06.2022 Third place in the National Competition of Krzysztof Krawczyk’s Songs “I knew you in Ursynów” in the Ursynów Cultural Center “Alternatives” in Warsaw
05.2022 Distinction at the International Jazz Music Competition “KraCamera JAZZ 2022” in Cracow
05.2022 Second place in the National Composition Competition “EduVirtuoso IV” organized by the Mieczyslaw Karlowicz Szczecin Philharmonic in Szczecin
02.2022 Distinction for the best performance of a piano concerto with orchestra within the framework of the XVII International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok – J.S.Bach – Piano Concerto BWV 1056 in F minor together with the Lviv Chamber Orchestra “Akademia”
01.2022 Qualifying through a competition to join the “Orchestra4Young” youth orchestra led by Adam Sztaba at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz
06.2021 Qualification and participation in the “Summer Played 2021” orchestra led by Adam Sztaba at the European Krzysztof Penderecki Music Centre in Lusławice
05.2021 Distinction “Individuality of the Forum” and “Golden Virtuoso” in the framework of the XVI International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok
05.2019 Third place in the IV Inter-school Competition of Musical Dictation Writing for Schools of Music of the First Degree (PSM of the First and Second Degree in Jastrzębie-Zdrój)
02.2018 Award funded by the Polish Composers’ Union in Warsaw for the presentation of compositional works during the 14th International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without borders” in Sanok