Trombonist, composer, arranger and conductor Ed Partyka (b. 1967) was born in the United States but removed to Europe almost 30 years ago. Today based in Austria, he acts as UMO Helsinki’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor in 2020–2021. He has collaborated with a number of renowned European big bands, including the German hr-Bigband and NDR Bigband and worked as a guest conductor, artistic planner and arranger for the Vienna Jazz Orchestra and Zurich Jazz Orchestra. Besides leading his own group, the Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra, Partyka has collaborated with the likes of Bob Brookmeyer, Carla Bley, Robben Ford and even the Finnish pop-rock group Sunrise Avenue. He is the department chairman of the Jazz Institute at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and teaches composition in the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Lucerne, Switzerland. Partyka is known as a first-class orchestra leader and expert on orchestral musicianship.