Andrzej Karałow is a composer and pianist whose work covers a wide range of artistic activities – from contemporary music to improvisation and actions at the meeting point of the arts. A graduate of the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, where he studied composition with Prof. Stanisław Moryto and piano under Prof. Bronisława Kawalla. In 2019, he obtained the title of Doctor of Arts, and in 2025 – of Habilitated Doctor of Musical Arts. Since 2016, Andrzej has been associated with his alma mater as a lecturer, and since 2020 – as an assistant professor.

Mr. Karałow’s oeuvre gained international acclaim thanks to his participation in the LPO Young Composers Programme (2018/19), which culminated in the world premiere of one of his pieces by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir James MacMillan at the Southbank Centre. His compositions have been performed at festivals and concerts in Europe, Asia, both Americas, and Australia. In 2023, he ran a compositional course as part of the Takefu International Music Festival in Japan; he has also been invited as a guest lecturer by higher education facilities in Seville, Sofia, and Frosinone. A prizewinner of numerous international and national composers’ competitions.

At the same time, he is an active pianist, awarded in competitions in Poland and abroad (including in Paris, Athens, and Warsaw). As a pianist and composer he has collaborated with the most prominent orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Silesian Philharmonic, Sinfonia Varsovia, and with such conductors as Sir James MacMillan, Szymon Bywalec, Bassem Akiki, Michał Klauza, José Maria Florêncio, and Ewa Strusińska.

Improvisation occupies an equally important place in his activities, opening up space for experiments with classical piano, electronics, and various forms of collective music making. In his artistic explorations, he combines music with other media, especially visual arts. The relationship between sound and image has become one of the focal points of his creative work, supplemented by his activities as a photographer.

Recordings of his works and several performances as a pianist were released on over 30 CD albums by Chopin University Press, Bocian Records, Bôłt Records, Ablaze Records, DUX Recordings Producers, Requiem Records, Chronicles of Warsaw and others.

In 2024 two of his albums: “Life&Beyond” (DUX) and monographic: “There are some nebulae no eye can dispel” (Chopin University Press) were nominated to the Fryderyk Award 2024. In 2020 he released his “De invitatione mortis” (Chopin University Press)– a 2-CD album with his chamber mystery/metaopera which was nominated to the Fryderyk Award 2021 in Album of the Year: Oratorio and Opera Music Category. In 2019 was released his first monographic album with chamber works – “Through” by prestigious polish label DUX Recording Producers. In 2018 Andrzej released his debut album “Wir” (The Vortex) with electroacoustic free-improvised works in collaboration with Jerzy Przeździecki (the whole album was recorded as a one-take without any editing). The continuation of this project was released as a live recording from the Ambient Festival Gorlice (2019) on LP/digital and was published by Bocian Records in 2020. In 2019 he released a CD album “After All” (Requiem Records) with music of XX and XXI centuries with saxophonist Pablo Sanchez-Escariche Gasch.

His work also includes albums released in improvised duos: Flint (Fundacja Ensemblage) with french bassist Joëlle Léandre, or L’ivresse Transfigurée (Ośrodek Rozdroża) with electroacoustic musician Jérôme Noetinger.

He is a laureate of several scholarships, including prestigious “Young Poland” Scholarship (2015 and 2025), Prize of Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (2014), Ministry of Science and Higher Education Scholarship, two times Pro Polonia Society Scholarship as well as several university scholarships: Rector’s scholarships, Scholarships for Young Researcher as well as the Creative Award, granted for achievements in the field of artistic creation as well as for the promotion and protection of culture.

As a professor, Mr. Karałow educates young artists at the Chopin University of Music and at master classes in Poland and abroad. He has been honing his skills at many renowned courses in Oxford, Montreal, Graz, Barcelona, Valencia, Radziejowice under the supervision of such masters as Beat Furrer, Joëlle Léandre, Dieter Ammann, Stefano Gervasoni, Zygmunt Krauze, Arie Vardi, Boris Petrushansky, Pavel Gililov, or Gary Graffman.

Andrzej Karałow is a co-founder and member of Ensemblage Foundation which promotes new music and performers. He is also a member of ZAiKS polish association of authors and member of Youth Circle Polish Composers Association in Warsaw.