Jude Vaclavik is an arts executive, composer, educator, and advocate for new music whose career bridges artistic leadership, business development, publishing, fundraising, and nonprofit management. His work has spanned many of the world's leading music organizations, including Universal Music Group, The Juilliard School, Boosey & Hawkes, and Houston Grand Opera, where he has built a reputation for championing artists, cultivating creative partnerships, and advancing the future of classical music.

Most recently, Vaclavik served as Vice President of U.S. Classical Publishing and Promotion at Universal Music Group, where he led one of the fastest-growing classical music publishing businesses in the industry. He oversaw business strategy, artist acquisition, international promotion, and partnerships for a roster of many of today's leading composers, helping drive sustained growth while building long-term relationships across the global performing arts community.

Vaclavik's experience spans fundraising, artistic planning, music publishing, digital media production, education, and arts administration. At Juilliard, he served in several leadership roles, including Artistic Producer for Digital Content, where he helped develop internationally recognized digital and educational initiatives while teaching orchestration and composition in the Evening Division.

A composer himself, Vaclavik has received commissions and performances from organizations including the New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute, The Juilliard School, the Eastman School of Music, the New England Conservatory, and universities and performing arts organizations across the United States. He is the recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Charles Ives Award and has remained a passionate advocate for living composers throughout his career.

Vaclavik earned Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Music Composition from The Juilliard School, where he was a CV Starr Doctoral Fellow. He serves on the Board of Directors of AFA Texas and previously served as Composition Consultant for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

Vaclavik begins his tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the Louisville Orchestra on July 15, 2026, where he will partner with Music Director Teddy Abrams, the Orchestra's musicians, Board of Directors, staff, and community to build upon the organization's legacy of artistic innovation and shape its next chapter.