Żaneta Rydzewska
Żaneta RYDZEWSKA is a composer, clarinetist, and improviser. In her music, she often refers to nature, contemporary social issues, literature, philosophy, and physics. She uses the latest technologies, creates sound installations, and combines music with movement, scent, light, and video.
The composer has collaborated with renowned ensembles and orchestras, including the WDR Sinfonieorchester, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Modern, Musikfabrik, NOSPR, Sinfonia Varsovia, Polish Radio Orchestra, Trio Catch, Mivos Quartet, hand werk, Ensemble Garage, electronic ID, Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie, Silesian Quartet, AUKSO, Spółdzielnia Muzyczna, Hashtag Ensemble, Kwartludium, airborne extended, Ensemble Schwerpunkt, United Instruments of Lucilin, Ensemble for New Music Tallinn, Broken Frames Syndicate, Kollektiv 3:6 Köln, Chopin University Modern Ensemble, Ko-MAT Ensemble, Delirium Ensemble, Lüneburger Philharmoniker, Molot Ensemble, and AKOM Ensemble.
She teaches electronic music composition and instrumentation at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (UMFC) in Warsaw. In 2026, she earned her doctoral degree. She studied composition under Brigitta Muntendorf at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, and under Aleksander Kościów and Stanisław Moryto at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (specializing in multimedia). She also studied clarinet with Wojciech Mrozek and completed postgraduate studies in philosophy at the University of Warsaw (2020–2022). In 2025, she participated in Max courses at IRCAM as part of the “Young Researchers” project at UMFC.
Her accolades include the Bernd Alois Zimmermann Composition Prize of the City of Cologne (2019), the ZAiKS Authors’ Association awards for outstanding young composers at the Fryderyki Festival (2022), and the Best Original Score award at the WIFFEN film festival (2022).
Her works have been performed at festivals such as ManiFeste (IRCAM), Lucerne Festival, Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik (WDR3), Ultraschall Berlin, Acht Brücken, ImpulsTanz (Vienna), Warsaw Autumn, Orgel-Mixturen (Deutschlandfunk), Ad libitum, Tampere Biennale, AvantArt (Warsaw), Sacrum Profanum (Krakow), Resounds (Warsaw), Containerklang Köln, Cluster–Lucca, AvantGarten Liedberg, High Noon Music 2000+ Konstanz, Experimental Tuesdays Sinfonia Varsovia, and Warsaw Music Meetings.
She participated in the ManiFeste Academy 2023 (IRCAM), Luxembourg Composition Academy 2020, Lucerne Festival Academy 2019, and Donaueschinger Musiktage “Next Generation” (2015, 2016, 2018). She is a laureate of several composition competitions, including the Internationaler ACHT BRÜCKEN Kompositionswettbewerb 2025, The Science of Fiction 2020 (IAM / Klangforum Wien), the Zygmunt Mycielski Composition Competition, and the Marek Stachowski Composition Competition.
She has received scholarships from the Bernd Alois Zimmermann Foundation, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (“Young Poland” program), the Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and the Rector of the UMFC. From 2016 to 2018, she chaired the Youth Circle of the Polish Composers’ Union (ZKP), and since June 2025, she has been a member of the ZKP Main Board.
