Dr Daria D. Kwiatkowska MA, DMA

• MA I. J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland.
• DMA Cornell University, USA.

Originally from Poland, I joined the University of Birmingham in 2004, first as a Visiting Lecturer, and from 2010 as a member of staff. Previously I taught at the Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland, before continuing the studies in Holland and the United States.

I teach first year modules in composition, tonal theory and analysis, and advanced modules in 18^th century counterpoint.

Instrumental/vocal composition

As a composer, I focus my research on writing for acoustic resources, but often employ unusual instruments, such as Javanese gamelan, Japanese koto, as well as Western quarter-tone flute. With my husband and fellow lecturer, Dr Scott Wilson, I co-created a music/puppet theatre show “Shuttle Dreams”, in collaboration with puppeteer David Powell from Toronto, Canada. My music has been performed in Poland, Canada, the Netherlands, US, Japan, and Great Britain.

Notable Performances:

• London, Shoreditch Church, November 28, 2009: W ciemnym koszu mego brzucha (In the dark basket of my belly) for quarter tome alto flute and piano; commissioned and performed by Carla Rees and rarescale.
• Vancouver, BC, April 28, 2007: Winter Gamesfor orchestra; commissioned and performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bramwell Tovey (performance repeated in North Vancouver on April 30, 2007).
• Musica Polonica Nova (Festival of Polish Contemporary Music), Wroclaw, Poland, February 24, 2006: Cascadilla Waterfallsfor chamber orchestra, conducted by Robert Kurdybacha.
• Toronto, ON, February 20 and 21, 2004: Shuttle Dreams, a music/shadow puppet theatre show, performed by David Powell (puppetry), Scott Wilson (computer, percussion), and Daria D. Kwiatkowska (piano).
• Tokyo, Japan, December 5, 2003: The Ghost of Urashimafor koto, oboe, percussion, and narrator, commissioned and performed by Ryuko Mizutani (koto).
• Toronto, ON, November 12, 2002: Prologue and Epiloguefor clarinet, violin, cello, and piano (2 players), performed by Continuum Contemporary Music.
• Festival of new music Poznańska Wiosna Muzyczna (Poznań Musical Spring), Poznań, Poland, April 25, 2002: The Summer Soundscapefor chamber orchestra, performed by “Kamerata Nowego Wieku”, conducted by Dariusz Tabisz.