Jacomo Bairos
“[Bairos’] music-making is world class. I’ve never heard a better live account of Prokofiev’s glorious Romeo and Juliet ballet score. It was as though I were hearing it for the first time. There was incredible control, going from rafter-rattling explosions to dreamy whispers in an instant. This was hands-down one of the most thrilling showings from the Philharmonic that I can recall. Bairos proved to be a ferocious conductor, sometimes leading the orchestra with the grace of a ballerina, sometimes with the power of a prizefighter closing in on a knockout.”
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As Co-Founder and Artistic Director for Nu Deco Ensemble, Jacomo creates compelling musical experiences that connect with new and varied audiences and artists while transcending traditional musical genres. Jacomo and Nu Deco commissioned EO 9066 - a multimedia work by indie pop crossover artist Kishi Bashi based on the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II that ultimately tells a story of hope, humanity and community through intimate and beautiful music, poetry and cinematic interactive video. This work also inspired a documentary movie titled Omoiyari that debuted at SXSW 2022 and has been performed by symphony orchestras in St. Louis, Seattle and Oregon, among others.
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Jacomo has spearheaded initiatives like Nu Deco's Access Program, which hosts over 400 local residents who would otherwise be unable to attend live concerts. He has created broader community connections with the youth and education programs of Nu Deco's NXT, an inclusive and holistic youth ensemble created in 2019, and through the Imagination Series that touches the lives of nearly 10,000 young people in South Florida and around the nation each year through blended live and digitally streamed educational programming. In Miami, these organizational missions, foundational programs and new initiatives have helped create and sustain an ensemble that is reimagining the impact and role an orchestra can have within its community in the 21st century.
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Nu Deco Unfiltered presents conversations with dynamic and award-winning musical artists, trailblazing composers and forward-thinking industry leaders and CEOs. Hosted by Jacomo, these conversations dive deep into the lives and works of these exceptional artists and leaders, peeling back the mysterious curtain of creativity and inspiration, while exploring life wisdom gleaned from their stories and prolific careers. In telling these stories, Jacomo's hope is to captivate not only the audiences of today, but future audiences as well.
Described in the press as “thrilling”, “world-class” and “inspirational,” Portuguese-American conductor, producer and podcaster Jacomo Bairos challenges the preconceptions of orchestral repertoire by fusing musical genres, collaborating deeply with a wide array of compelling and diverse artists, and integrating the modern orchestra into the worldwide community through innovative and powerful new ways. Defined by riveting performances, artistic excellence, a collaborative spirit, and education initiatives infused with mindfulness and wellness practices, Bairos has reframed the role an artistic leader can hold for its organization and the community it serves.
Bairos is the Artistic Director, Conductor and Co-Founder along with composer Sam Hyken for Nu Deco Ensemble, Miami’s 21st century, genre-bending chamber orchestra. Since its inception in 2015, Nu Deco Ensemble has exploded onto Miami’s eclectic musical scene captivating audiences, holistically engaging with its community, and fusing innovative, genre-bending orchestral performances and collaborations with the highest levels of musical artistry. In the summer of 2023, Nu Deco Ensemble celebrated their major label debut with the release of a new EP titled “Duende” on Sony Music Masterworks. Their 8th album release, “Duende” features soaring orchestral versions of some of today's most exciting artists from Sam Smith to Radiohead. The album also includes original music written by members of Nu Deco. With releases garnering over 10 million streams across Digital Streaming Platforms to include Spotify and Apple Music and over 5.5 million views on Youtube, Nu Deco celebrates living composers, reimagines all genres of music, and collaborates with a wide range of diverse musical guests, composers, choreographers, dancers, and mixed media artists.
In the 2023-24 season, Bairos embarks on a touring and recording project with Metropole Orkest and New Orleans-based musical group Tank and the Bangas, culminating in a six-city European tour in Spring 2024. Other guest conducting season highlights include performances with the Atlanta, Baltimore and Hartford Symphonies, the Chicago Philharmonic, National Philharmonic Warsaw, and the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera and Greensboro Symphony. As one of the most dynamic conductors of his generation, Bairos annually works with and maintains relationships with some of the world's great orchestras and institutions. Other recent engagements include the San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston and Singapore Symphonies, as well as the Boston Pops and Cincinnati Pops to name a few.
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Bairos collaborates with and commissions original works for some of today’s most inspiring, prolific and Grammy award-winning artists and soloists. Recent collaborators include J'Nai Bridges, Anthony McGill, Aaron Diehl, Conrad Tao, Jeremy Denk and Jennifer Koh, as well contemporary and cross-over artists such as Jon Batiste, Angelique Kidjo, Wyclef Jean, Robert Glasper, Derek Hodge, Jacob Collier, Kishi Bashi, Larkin Poe, Monsieur Periné, Cory Henry, X Ambassadors, Ben Folds and numerous more.
From 2013 - 2021, Bairos was the Music Director for the Amarillo Symphony. Presiding over unprecedented artistic and fiscal growth and consistently sold-out performances, Bairos enacted numerous new community initiatives and programs. In Bairos’ eight-year tenure he instituted the first ever composers-in-residence with Chris Rogerson, commissioned dozens of composers and artists, established the WTAMU young composers initiated that workshopped and performed the music of university students, established education programs such as Class Act and Symphony Kids, and created the highly successful Happy Holiday Pops series.
A graduate of The Juilliard School in music performance and the Peabody Institute for orchestral conducting, Bairos has performed, recorded, and toured the world with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, and Singapore Symphony (Principal Tuba 2004 - 2007).
Bairos is both a Chopra-certified meditation instructor and an RYT 200 Yoga Alliance teacher. He guides group meditations, mindfulness practices, yoga, and wellness workshops online and is lead wellness director for the youth ensemble members of Nu Deco NXT. Bairos divides his time between his homes in Miami Beach, Florida and Lisbon, Portugal.
September 2023 – Please do not edit without permission.