Gryka, Aleksandra International Festival of Contemporary Music Warsaw Autumn

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born in 1977 in Warsaw, she studied composition with Krystyna Moszumańska-Nazar and electroacoustic composition with Magdalena Długosz and Marek Chołoniewski at Cracow’s Academy of Music (1998–2003). She received scholarships from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the same Ministry’s Fund for the Promotion of Creative Activity. In 2003 she obtained a bursary from the Central Washington University as part of a programme for the exchange of students with her home university. 

She is one of the most individual and unique Polish composers. Her music has been strongly influenced by her interest in scientific study of the universe, quantum physics in particular. She is also inspired by literature, including science fiction. 

She took part in courses and workshops for composers: in Cracow and Helsinki, held under the auspices of the IRCAM/ACANTHES Parisian centres for musical research (2000), in Buckow (Germany, 2001), and in the Austrian town of Reichenau (as part of the Internationalen Sommer Akademie Prag–Wien–Budapest 2002). Her accolades include the 1st Prize in EuroArtMeeting composers’ competition in Wrocław (for High3bbingNor.for symphony orchestra, 2000) and the Christoph und Stephan KaskeStiftung Award for electroacoustic music (2004), as well as two nominations for the Passport Award of the Polityka weekly in the category of classical music (2003, 2006), a nomination for TVP Kultura Award (2006), and for the Cogito Public Media Award (for her composition Youmec, 2009). 

Gryka’s works have been presented in Poland as well as Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Luxembourg, the United States, France, Italy, Ukraine, and other countries, at festivals such as Warsaw Autumn, Festival of Premieres Polish Modern Music in Katowice, Sacrum Profanum and Audio Art in Cracow, Musica Polonica Nova in Wrocław, and Instalakcje in Warsaw. Gryka has worked closely with such excellent contemporary music performers as the Berlin group NOVOFLOT, Asasello String Quartet from Cologne, Silesian String Quartet, ensembles such as Nonstrom, an_ARCHE NewMusicEnsemble, Kwartludium, Kwadrofonik, as well as Gośka Isphording and Barbara Kinga Majewska. Since 2005 she has also composed stage music for theatres in Warsaw, Toruń, Częstochowa, Koszalin, Szczecin, Zielona Góra, Łódź, Cracow, Kielce, and Wrocław. For her music accompanying the spectacle Trash Story (dir. Marcin Liber) she was awarded in the 12th Festival of Contemporary Dramatic Art “Rzeczywistość Przedstawiona” (Constructed Reality) in Zabrze (2012). Gryka’s own stage works have been presented at the Grand Theatre – Polish National Opera in Warsaw. 

Selected works: For D. for piano (1999), Lien-al. for cello, harpsichord and accordion (2000), High3bbingNor. for symphony orchestra (2000), Interioryzacion for computer (2000), OXYGEN nr.369,1 for tape and piano (2001), NonStopping center for 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 opera saga project Kommander Kobayashi (2004–5), ambeoidal MTOCSs for clarinet, marimba, piano, violin, tape and video (2005), Alpha Kryonia Xe, ballet (2006), NTvacoufor contrabass recorder, harpsichord, violin and cello (2006), SCREAM YOU, opera from the project Kommander Kobayashi II (2006), Youmecfor harpsichord and tape (2006), {FFO.NO.}e for cello (2007), BAe 146 OY-CRG.Sylar for ensemble (2007), NEI for violin, tape and video (2008), SCREAM QUEEN, opera (with NOVOFLOT, 2008), t.Aamiper for orchestra, trumpet and electronics (2009), The LighetM for string quartet (2009), Erschöpfung, opera (with NOVOFLOT, 2010), Glück, opera (with NOVOFLOT, 2011), einerjedeneither for orchestra (2011), observerobserverfor Paetzold contrabass recorder, contrabass flute, electronics and video (2012), 10,12,13,-31 for string quartet (2012), das Schloss, opera (with NOVOFLOT, 2013), Der Sieg Uber die Sonne, opera (with NOVOFLOT, 2013), A.CELLfalserator for two pianos (2013), W.ALTER’s(Z) for mezzo-soprano, two pianists, two percussionists and electronics (2014), MUTEDISORDER for violin, clarinet, piano and percussion (2015), emptyloop for string quartet (2020).