Born in 1969 in Łódź, he studied composition with Jerzy Bauer at the city's Music Academy. In 1995 he attended a year-long course in composition and computer music at ircam in Paris. While there, he realized a multimedia project Voyage Amer, together with the French designer Alain Galet. In 1997 he made his 'Warsaw Autumn' debut with Avalon's Gates for flute and computer.
Since 1998 he has been living in Stuttgart, where he continues his compositional studies with Ulrich Süße. He participated in a course in object modelling synthesis at the zkm in Karlsruhe (1999-2000). In August 2000 he presented, together with video artist Berthold Gantner, the multimedia project L'Ange noir - 4 Skizzen.
Michał Talma-Sutt's honours include prizes at the International Rostrum of Electroacoustic Music in Vienna: Second Prize in the general category and First Prize in the 'under-30s'category for What Nostradamus has kept only for himself (1998), and First Prize in the general category for Light and Shade (2000, Madrid).
He held a grant from the Witold Lutosławski Foundation (1995-2001).

Selected works: Piano Sonata No. 2 (1987), 6 Structural Preludes for piano (1990), Schizofreniata for clarinet and piano (1991), Piano Trio (1991), Octet for Wind Instruments (1992), Double-Progress for 15 instruments (1993), ...Darkness... for amplified harpsichord and tape (1994), Shadows for tape (1994), Music from 'Ulisses' by James Joyce for mezzo-soprano, piano and four percussionists (1994), Circulations for piano and orchestra (1994), What Nostradamus has kept only for himself for tape (1995), Sphinx's Games for solo flute (1996), Avalon's Gates for flute and computer (1997), Light and Shade for tape (2000), Rituale Balenae for tape (2001), Soundscape One for tape (2001), Cellotronicum for cello and computer (2002).

The idea of composing Cellotronicum for cello and computer was suggested to me by the outstanding Polish cellist Andrzej Bauer. He was going to include it on a programme with some other pieces written by Polish composers especially for him and for this occasion. The idea of the concert has been accepted by the Repertoire Committee of 'Warsaw Autumn' and in this way - if the tragic state of the public funds in Poland will not stand in the way (I am writing these words at the beginning of June) - my work will be presented today (so, if you are reading these words, it means that the concert is finally taking place).
We have had the long discussions with Andrzej about how to solve the technical problem of collaboration with the computer. Finally we decided to realise the active-passive version. The computer plays here the role earlier performed by tape and lots of devices for so-called live electronics. Initially, I wanted to use a MacIntosh computer with the Max programme, which allow both instrumentalist and computer to be really interactive. But after my experience with Avalon's Gates for flute and computer I remain aware that this kind of project is still quite risky. Max is a programme requiring a large memory and fast processors, and my Mac could be too slow. Also, I live now in Germany and my computer is rather not moveable. And Andrzej has a pc computer in his possession and it was more obvious that rather his computer will be used during the concert. That is why we accepted to use computer in this particular way. The cello's sound is taken by microphone and transformed by computer or rather by the programme in which the part of accompaniment ('tape') is played out, and the acoustic sound is subjected to the operation of various effects. I solve the problem of synchronization by using the track of a 'conductor' which is heard only by the instrumentalist (on the headphones). Of course there is still a kind of discomfort to play 'following the computer' as, de facto, it controls the cellist. That is why I am speaking about a 'passive' version - the interactivity is not full. On the other hand, the 'activity' of this solution means that together with 'tape' there is also a layer of live electronics, fully automatic, saved in the computer programme.
The whole piece is supposed to last about 30 minutes and consists of two parts.
I am not going to write about the music itself as I hope you would have the opportunity to listen to it. I can only say that after so many experiences with electronics it was a great pleasure for me to go back to the acoustic instrument as well as to connect these two worlds.
Cellotronicum was commissioned by the 'Warsaw Autumn' Friends' Foundation with funds from the Ernst von Siemens Musikistiftung.

Michał Talma-Sutt