Composer, born 17 May 1977 in Warsaw

Aleksandra Gryka is one of the most interesting young composers working in Poland today. She burst onto the scene in 2000 by winning the First Prize at the EuroArtMeeting Composer Competition in Wrocław for her "High3bbingNor" for symphony orchestra. She followed this in 2003 and again in 2006 – by being nominated to the Passport of the Polityka magazine in the field of Classical Music. In 2004, she received the Award of the Christoph und Stephan Kaske-Stiftung Foundation for her electro-acoustic works, and in 2006 – she was nominated for the Culture Award of Polish Television.

Aleksandra started taking piano lessons at the age of six. Between 1985-90 she studied at the Karol Kurpiński First Degree State School of Music in Warsaw – majoring in piano. In 1997, she graduated from the Frederic Chopin Second Degree State Secondary School of Music in Warsaw under the instruction of Jaśmina Strzelecka (with honours). She started composition studies in 1998 at the Academy of Music in Cracow under the guidance of Krystyna Moszumańska-Nazar. It was here in 1999 that she began computer composition studies with Magdalena Długosz. In 2000 she took part in composition courses IRCAM / ACANTHES under the auspices of the Paris centres of modern music in Cracow and Helsinki. In 2001, she attended courses for composers in Buckow, Germany. In 2002, she participated in summer workshops for composers in Reichenau, Austria, and in the autumn she was studied in the United States as part of a student exchange programme between Central Washington University and the Academy of Music in Cracow.

Aleksandra Gryka’s works have also been performed during the "Warsaw Autumn" Festival.

More important compositions:

• "For D." for solo piano (1999)
• "Lien-al." for cello, harpsichord and accordion (2000)
• "High3bbingNor." for symphony orchestra (2000)
• "Interioryzacion", a computer piece (2000)
• "OXYGEN nr.369,1" for tape and piano (2001)
• "NonStopping center" for solo harpsichord (2001)
• "(1') exists as ... (-1')" for flute, accordion, percussion, piano and cello (2001)
• "Project ien" for tape, video and dancer (2002)
• "JaIchIJe" for string quartet and marimba (2002)
• "Interialcell" for instrumental ensemble (2003)
• "+" for chamber orchestra (2003)
• "eSU" for tape and video elements (2004)
• "konstrunity 0100" for 12 voices (2004)
• "Üsinn" for clarinet, trombone, cello and piano (2004)
• "Tii" for soprano and instrumental ensemble from the saga opera "Komander Kobayashi" project (2004-2005)
• "ambeoidal MTOCSs" for clarinet, marimba, piano, violin, tape and video (2005)
• "Alpha Kryonia Xe", ballet (2006)
• "NTvacou" for double bass recorder, harpsichord, violin and cello (2006)
• "SERCAM YOU", opera from the "Kommander Kobayashi II" project (2006)