Polish conductor Marzena Diakun is praised for her immense temperament, energy, and precision of gesture. Winner of the second prizes at the Prague Spring Competition in 2007 and the Fitelberg International Conducting Competition in 2012, she focuses on orchestral and choral repertoire encompassing Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, Sergei Rachmaninov, Alexander Scriabin, and Dmitri Shostakovich, as well as leading Polish composers including Krzysztof Penderecki, Witold Lutosławski, Mieczysław Karłowicz, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, and Karol Szymanowski. Her interpretations of French and Czech music are particularly valued for their balance, subtlety, and depth.
Beginning with the 2026/27 season, she will take up the position of chief conductor of the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie in Koblenz, having begun her work with the orchestra in May 2025. Upcoming engagements include joint projects with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, and appearances at the Concertgebouw. Her latest recording of Brahms (IBS), made with the Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid, has received warm welcome from critics.
Recipient of numerous awards and distinctions in Poland and abroad, she is also committed to the mentoring of younger generations of conductors while acknowledging the influence of her own mentors, including Kurt Masur, Pierre Boulez, and Marin Alsop. Marzena Diakun leads the Per Musicam ad Futura Foundation, holds the title of professor, and teaches conducting at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław.