Zuzanna Całka is a classically trained pianist and composer based in Warsaw. She makes music by manipulating and multi-tracking the sounds of the piano and synthesizers. Całka sees making music as a spiritual practice, a ritual that helps to reconnect with the beauty and mystery of life. A major role in the process is improvisation which emerges in each show differently. Her music provides the listener with an intriguing alternation of minimalistic solo piano and more articulated songs where piano and electronic inserts are mixed together and create haunting layers of sounds. Transforming basic and minimal sketches of music into powerful, visceral, but also sometimes hallucinatory songs.
She treats her compositions as a development of the aesthetics that grew out of studying classic compositions combined with her interest in electronic music and film. On her debut EP album Late Night Takes, the classically trained polish composer elaborates piano harmonies and melodies in a very intimate, soothing soundscape. Late Night Takes were released on 29th of March and got to the top of the Piano Day playlist curated by Nils Frahm. Her soundtrack was awarded the first prize at the Transatlantyk Festival with Jan AP Kaczmarek at the head of the jury. She also created a cover of the song Saman by Olafur Arnalds, which was appreciated and shared by the artist himself. Zuzanna’s music video May B was picked as a 10 top favorite videos by Max Cooper.
