{"id":12,"date":"2026-05-18T12:04:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T10:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arkadiuszkatny.com\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2026-05-18T16:41:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:41:07","slug":"welcome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/arkadiuszkatny.com\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Arkadiusz K\u0105tny (b. 1990) is a Polish composer based in Wroc\u0142aw. In his work, he connects reflection on sound and perception with the shaping of musical experience, encompassing formally diverse compositions, including large-scale musical forms.  His music reflects interests in nature, science, art, and philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He holds a Doctor of Arts in Music (2021) from the Karol Lipi\u0144ski Academy of Music in Wroc\u0142aw, where he studied composition with Prof. Gra\u017cyna Pstroko\u0144ska-Nawratil (degrees with distinction) and percussion with Prof. Jacek Wota. His education also includes international courses in performance and sound production undertaken in Los Angeles, Warsaw, and Paris. He has received numerous awards, distinctions, and scholarships, including those granted by the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, the Rector of the Academy of Music in Wroc\u0142aw, the Mayor of Wroc\u0142aw, and the Mayor of Ostr\u00f3w Wielkopolski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0105tny\u2019s music unfolds through processes of gradual transformation, in which sonic material is continuously reshaped. Layers of sound emerge, overlap, dissolve, and reconfigure, forming organic structures that evolve over time. Spatial relationships play a crucial role: sound circulates among performers and throughout the performance space, shaping the listener\u2019s perception of motion and depth. These ideas are developed in works such as Symphony No. III for Orchestra, Circles \u2013 The Imaginary Dream of Nicolaus Copernicus, and Labyrinth, a concerto for marimba and chamber orchestra. Symphony No. III, written as the central artistic component of K\u0105tny\u2019s doctoral research, explores auditory illusions and approaches to shaping sonic space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circles \u2013 The Imaginary Dream of Nicolaus Copernicus, a work for percussion and spatially arranged mixed choir, was commissioned by the Z\u00fcrcher Sing-Akademie and Fabian Ziegler and premiered on 5 February 2022 in Zurich, conducted by Florian Helgath. Circles draws the listeners into Copernicus\u2019s dream, confronting them with a shift in perspective. Inspired by the Copernican paradigm shift, the piece unfolds as a non-linear process of perceptual reorientation. Related concerns appear in Labyrinth, written in homage to Krzysztof Penderecki and realized as part of an MKiDN scholarship (2022), in which continuity and transformation are articulated through the relationship between soloist and ensemble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0105tny\u2019s works have been presented across Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States by ensembles such as the Z\u00fcrcher Sing-Akademie and the Croatian Radio and Television Choir, and performed by leading international percussion soloists, including Katarzyna My\u0107ka, Conrado Moya, Fabian Ziegler, Filip Mer\u010dep, Ivana Kuljeri\u0107 Bili\u0107, Svet Stoyanov, Shoko Sakai, and Scotty Horey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A significant part of his output is devoted to percussion music, including Chain, a cycle of six works for two marimbas (premiered in its entirety at the Folkwang Universit\u00e4t der K\u00fcnste Essen, 2025), and Fireworks Free Fall for three marimbas, premiered at the PASIC \u2013 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis (2013). Other works exploring color and sonic organicity include Mosaic for marimba and electronics (MKiDN scholarship, 2017), The Four Colors of the Year for piano (MKiDN scholarship, 2020), Wrofonia, an electroacoustic work (Mayor of Wroc\u0142aw Scholarship, 2020), as well as music for theatre. His percussion works are published by Norsk Musikkforlag A\/S (Norway). He has been a composer-in-residence at Humboldt State University (USA) and at the Folkwang Universit\u00e4t der K\u00fcnste Essen (Germany) as part of the International Katarzyna My\u0107ka Marimba Academy (IKMMA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0105tny\u2019s compositional thought extends into electroacoustic composition and immersive sound production, where he works with both analog and digital synthesizers. In 2025, he participated in the Mix With The Masters \u2013 Dolby Atmos Masterclass led by Alan Meyerson in Paris. His electroacoustic works have been presented at the festivals Musica Polonica Nova (2014) and Musica Electronica Nova (2015) in Wroc\u0142aw. In his most recent work, BLUE. HEAT. OVERHEAT. (2025), an electroacoustic triptych inspired by global warming and the transformation of our planet, the sonic structure becomes a carrier of an ethical stance, creating a space for reflection and dialogue. The project was realized within the framework of the National Recovery Plan (NextGenerationEU).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside his work in contemporary concert music, he explores the space between his classical background and electronic music. This practice focuses on sound, texture, and process, extending his compositional approach into the electronic realm. An album recorded on analog synthesizers is scheduled for release on digital platforms later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BLUE. HEAT. OVERHEAT. (2025)<\/strong>
World Premiere \u2013 digital \u2013 of the new work BLUE. HEAT. OVERHEAT.
National Recovery Plan | Republic of Poland | Funded by the European Union NextGenerationEU Investment A.2.5.1 | Programme supporting the activities of entities in the cultural sector and creative industries aimed at stimulating their development Scholarship 2025 \u2013 Development and enhancement of digital, compositional, and artistic competencies in the field of music production, technology, and digital tools. Production of the work Blue. Heat. Overheat., inspired by the transformation of the planet.
Premiera cyfrowa nowego utworu BLUE. HEAT. OVERHEAT.
Krajowy Plan Odbudowy | Polska | Sfinansowano ze \u015brodk\u00f3w Unii Europejskiej NextGenerationEU Inwestycja A.2.5.1 | Program wspierania dzia\u0142alno\u015bci podmiot\u00f3w sektora kultury i przemys\u0142\u00f3w kreatywnych na rzecz stymulowania ich rozwoju.
Stypendium 2025 \u2013 Rozw\u00f3j i podniesienie kompetencji cyfrowych, kompozytorskich i artystycznych w zakresie produkcji muzycznej, technologii i narz\u0119dzi cyfrowych. Realizacja utworu Blue. Heat. Overheat. zainspirowanego transformacj\u0105 planety.
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