Jacob Aaron Schnitzer harnesses the powers of music and storytelling to connect with others. His work as a conductor spans symphonic, opera, and contemporary repertoire; his work in immersive concert design offers audiences unforgettable multisensory experiences.

Recipient of The Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, Jacob currently serves as Artistic Director of the chamber orchestra Density512 (Austin, Texas) and Assistant Conductor of The Missouri Symphony. He previously served as Interim Director of Orchestra at Kent State University, Assistant Conductor to the late Bramwell Tovey with the Boston University Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra and Opera, Artistic Advisor of Silent Films Out Loud, and Music Director of the Engineering Chamber Orchestra.    

Jacob has collaborated on performances at the Firefly Music Festival, SXSW Music Festival, Blanton Museum of Art, Liminal Sound Series, Boston University Messiaen Project, Fast Forward Austin, Here Be Monsters, Ragnar Kjartanson’s S.S. Hangover at The Contemporary Austin and Fusebox Festival, and with National Geographic Explorer Stuart Hyatt at the Cave Without a Name. A passionate educator, he has served on the teaching faculty of the Missouri Symphony Conservatory, University of Texas String Project, and joined Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts as a visiting conductor and composer on two tours to Carnegie Hall. A champion of new music, Jacob has led world premieres of more than 50 works by living composers and co-founded DensitySOUND, a new music media and record label housed by Density512.

In his work as a creative director, Jacob integrates theater and multimedia elements into immersive musical experiences. In recent projects, Jacob has served as a stage director, filmmaker, lighting designer, dramaturg, poet, mixing engineer, and clown.

Jacob participated in masterclasses with Yannick Nézet-Séguin at Domaine Forget de Charlevoix. His principal mentors include conductors Kevin Noe, Bramwell Tovey, Joshua Gersen, and Peter Bay as well as composers Zhou Long, Yevgeniy Sharlat, Richard Cornell, and Donald Grantham. He holds degrees from the UMKC Conservatory, Boston University, and The University of Texas at Austin.

When not dreaming of ways to change the world, Jacob hikes, cooks, meditates, reads, and sings to his orange tabby cats.       

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