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.”
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Praised as “thrilling,” “world-class,” and “inspirational,” Portuguese-American conductor and producer Jacomo Bairos is celebrated for his innovative approach, electrifying artistry, and visionary programming that is redefining the modern orchestral experience. With a career spanning symphonic masterworks, cross-genre collaborations, and acclaimed recordings with Grammy-winning artists and the world’s foremost orchestras, Bairos unites tradition and innovation in ways that resonate deeply with today’s audiences.
As Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Nu Deco Ensemble, Miami’s “orchestra for the 21st century” (The New York Times), Bairos has collaborated with Grammy-winning icons including Wyclef Jean, Angelique Kidjo, Jacob Collier, PJ Morton, Robert Glasper, Macy Gray, Bilal, Cory Wong, Richard Bona, Stephen Marley, and Tank and the Bangas, while commissioning new works from artists such as Kishi Bashi, Derrick Hodge, Valerie Coleman, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. Beyond Nu Deco, his collaborations extend to acclaimed figures across genres, from Jon Batiste, Andrew Bird, Ben Folds, and Faye Webster to leading classical voices including J’Nai Bridges, Anthony McGill, Courtney Bryan, and Will Liverman, with whom he has performed, commissioned, and premiered new works.
In demand with the world’s great symphony orchestras, Bairos has led the San Francisco, St. Louis, Singapore, National, Detroit, Iceland, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Houston Symphonies; the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; the Chicago and Malaysia Philharmonics; and the Boston and Cincinnati Pops. Highlights of the 2025–26 season include debuts with the Colorado Symphony, National and the Central Texas Philharmonics, alongside return engagements with the Baltimore, Atlanta, and Sun Valley Symphonies, the Boca Symphonia, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic.
-
Described as “sonically spellbinding” by Billboard, Nu Deco Ensemble has redefined the orchestra’s role through imaginative, immersive performances, transformative collaborations, and deep-rooted community engagement in Miami. Under Bairos’ co-leadership, the ensemble has released 15 albums—including Duende (Sony Masterworks) and the Billboard-charting Paint the Roses with Larkin Poe—with its recordings and digital content amassing millions of streams and reaching audiences worldwide. His discography also includes recordings with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and an ongoing collaboration with Europe’s genre-bending Metropole Orkest, with whom he has toured extensively and will release two additional albums in 2025–26 featuring jazz vocalist Tutu Puoane and pianist-composer Vítor Araújo.
Cultivating the next generation of artists lies at the core of Bairos’ mission. As an advocate for youth engagement, he leads Nu Deco NXT, the ensemble’s youth orchestra, incorporating mindfulness and wellness practices into their artistic development. His commitment to nurturing young musicians extends worldwide, including tours and festivals with Jong Metropole and collaborations with the Jovem Orquestra Portuguesa.
During his tenure as Music Director of the Amarillo Symphony (2013–2021), Bairos led the organization through unprecedented artistic and fiscal growth while deepening its community impact. He established composer residencies, launched young composer initiatives with WT–A&M, commissioned 17 new works, and created accessible outreach programs such as Class Act, Symphony Kids, the highly successful Happy Holiday Pops series, and the annual Symphony at Hodgetown Park concerts that drew thousands—fostering connection and community throughout the Texas Panhandle.
A Juilliard-trained tuba player, Bairos performed, recorded, and toured internationally with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, and served as Principal Tuba of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (2004–2007). He later studied conducting at the Peabody Institute with Gustav Meier and Marin Alsop, and at the Aspen Music Festival under his mentor Robert Spano, with additional mentorship from Kurt Masur and Larry Rachleff.
Bairos is host of Nu Deco Unfiltered, a podcast dedicated to inspiring conversations with dynamic musical artists, trailblazing composers, and forward-thinking industry leaders. A 200-hour certified yoga teacher, Chopra-certified meditation coach, and breathwork practitioner, Bairos believes in the power of inner transformation through daily practices, which he shares with young musicians of Nu Deco NXT as part of their artistic and personal development. He now divides his time between Miami Beach, Florida, and Lisbon, Portugal, continually seeking new ways to inspire and connect through music.
September 2025 – Please do not edit without permission.
Videos
Projects
