Jacques Lacombe was born in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec. He received his musical training at the Conservatoire de musique de Trois-Rivières and the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, as well as at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna.
Jacques Lacombe is currently the music director of the Vancouver Opera. He served as music and artistic director of the Mulhouse Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2021, principal conductor of the Bonn Opera in Germany from 2016 to 2018, and music director of the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières from 2006 to 2018. From 2010 to 2016, he was the music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and from 2002 to 2006, he was the principal guest conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, after serving as music director of the Lorraine Philharmonic in Metz, France.
He teaches conducting at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, where he also serves as music director of the symphony orchestra. In August 2012, he was awarded Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Additionally, he is a knight of the Ordre national du Québec and a member of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours.