Dalach, Monika

Born in 1993, composer, sound artist and playwright. She studied composition with Olga Hans at the Music Academy in Łódź (2012–17) and culture studies with the specialisation creative writing at the University of Łódź (2012–15). In 2017 she graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London in the composition class of Malcolm Singer. She was twice awarded the Guildhall Artist Fellowship: in 2018 as a composer and in 2019 as a libretto author for her participation in the yearly programme Opera Makers tutored by the Royal Opera House in London. 

She has participated in masterclasses and composition workshops such as Synthesis in Radziejowice (2016 and 2017), Donaueschinger Musiktage (2017), Warsaw Autumn courses (2017), Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt (2018), run by leading composers including Zygmunt Krauze, Agata Zubel, Mark Andre, Johannes Kreidler, Stefan Prins, Alexander Schubert, Ashley Fure, Marco Stroppa, Julian Anderson, and Ramon Lazkano. 

In 2016 she was awarded the Witold Lutosławski Scholarship, and in 2018 the Łódź Voivodeship Marshall arts scholarship. She has won numerous awards in composition and writing competitions, including the Tracy Chadwell Memorial Prize for a vocal– instrumental work, 2nd Prize at the 56th Tadeusz Baird Young Composers Competition, 3rd Prize at the Kielce Philharmonic Competition for an electroacoustic miniature, distinction at the USA International Contest, 1st Prize at the “Little Symphony” University Composition Competition, and 1st Prize at the National Competition for Small Drama Form during the Literary Pulse Festival in Łódź. 

Her work combines instrumental and electronic music with visual arts, experimental theatre, and new media. She cooperates with interdisciplinary artists, breaking cross-art genres between classical, electronic music, and sound design. 

She has worked with leading new music ensembles including Plus–Minus, EXAUDI, Workers Union Ensemble (UK), TWOgether Duo, Trio Layers (Poland) as well as artists such as BABA duo (Russia/UK), photographer Maja Ngom (Poland/UK), pianist and performer Felix Nagel (Germany), poet and libretto author Oge Nwosu (UK), choreographers Ruby Frances Jones (USA) and Stephanie Handjiiska (Bulgaria). Her music has been performed in Poland, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States, including at the Musica Privata and Musica Moderna festivals, Łódź Philharmonic, during the Composers’ Forum at Indiana University, London Transport Museum, Wigmore Hall, Robin Howard Dance Theatre (The Place), Milton Court Concert Hall, and City University in London. 

Selected works: The Locomotive – The Adventures between Tuwim’s Words for accordion, amplified cello and electronics (2013), Pandora for symphony orchestra (2014), stuck.in.magazine for amplified harp and live electronics (2015), (R)evolutions for orchestra and three actors (2015), Tick!-Time for harpsichord, harp and cello (2015), stuck in basement for amplified cello and electronics (2015), malfunction (h2t) for electronics (2016), Oscillations for two pianos (2016), Ethe:space for oboe, alto saxophone, double bass, two percussionists, piano and video (2016), Lily ist von ihrem... Abenteuer Zurückgekehrt for soprano, cello, bass clarinet and trombone (2017), Error: The Peculiar Galaxies Database for amplified cello, piano, electronics and video (2017), [FuckUp Night] for vocal ensemble (2017), 19:00 SUNDOWN for amplified accordion, three reed ranks, electronics and video (2018), taped for electronics and reel-to-reel tape recorder (2018), On and On for electronics (2018), Shout #1–3 for ensemble, electronics and video (2017–19).