Magda Drozd (*1987, Warsaw) is an artist and sound curator based in Zürich. Her artistic work spans music, sound art, and composition. Her approach to music is experimental and boundary-pushing. Utilizing a diverse array of influences and techniques, she creates distinctive and alluring soundscapes combining an electroacoustic approach to field recordings with violin drones, orchestral passages, choral melodies, fragile voices, noise, and various instrumentations that delve into intuitive and speculative perceptions of the world through sound. Her releases (Songs for Plants, 18 Floors and Viscera) on Swiss label Präsens Editionen have received recognition from fans and well-known magazines such as The Wire, Spex, self-titled Magazine, Fact Mag, and Boomkat. In 2022 the label Hallow Ground released her track on the worldwide esteemed label compilation Epiphanies.
Magda Drozd has toured her music throughout Europe showcasing her captivating sound creations and works consistently. Her sound installations and projects were shown in Switzerland at institutions like Oto Sound Museum, Shedhalle Zürich, Helmhaus Zürich, Schauspielhaus Zürich. In addition to her solo work, she also composes for film, video, art, theater and radio, including collaborations with artists like Yana Ross, Ernestya Orlowska, Veronika Spierenburg or Katja Brunner. In 2021 Drozd collaborated with artist Laura Pugno for the project Over Time, winner of the IX edition of Italian Council. Since 2023 Magda Drozd has been part of the curatorial collective Zaira Oram and a curator for Oto Sound Museum.

CV

Releases
— 2023, Viscera, Präsens Editionen, digital 
— 2022, Compilation: Ephiphanies, Hallow Ground, vinyl / digital
— 2021, 18 Floors (LP), Präsens Editionen, vinyl / digital
— 2020, Compilation: Make Some Room: Electronic Relief in Switzerland, digital
— 2019, Songs for Plants (LP), Präsens Editionen, vinyl / digital 

Exhibitions / Performances / Projects
— 2022, Herbal Audition, Sound performance with Salomé Voegelin, Sonic Topologies Festival
— 2022, Shivering, Sound performance for Connecting Worlds, Cuneo (Italy) & Tende (France)
— 2022, Calma Apparente sound performance, Oto Sound Museum, Wasserturm Zürich
— 2021, Talk with urban landscapes, group exhibition, Rindermarkt Zürich, curated by Léa Jullien
— 2021, participation in the magazine „homebody“ by zürich moves! festival, curated by Esther Eppstein
— 2021, Oto Sound Museum, digital solo exhibition, curated by zairaoram collective  
— 2019, Hallo Hannah, Shedhalle Zürich, Group Exhibition
— 2019, Concert at The Residency Closing Zürich
— 2018, One is too few and two is only one possibility, Lokal 14, show with Milva Stutz
— 2018, Seven Easy Pieces, Lokal 14 Zürich

— 2018 Invisible Voices (Variationen 3-7), Kaffee Kind Luzern, Materialschau, Kunst: Szene Zürich, Der Loop/Neuer Norden Zürich, Die Bunt Festival
— 2017/18, Invisible Voices (Encounters of Non-Human Sounds Part 1+2), Helmhaus Zürich
— 2017, Keine Zeit, Helmhaus Zürich, group exhibition
— 2017, Entführungen: Kunst, Wissenschaft und die DNA des Steinbocks, Group Exhibition, Zoologisches Museum Zürich, Nationalparkmuseum Zernez
— 2017, Untitled (Songs for Plants), Marmorgasse Art-Space Zürich
— 2017, Intraaktionen II, Projectspace, ZHdK
— 2017, Intraaktionen, Fabriktheater Zürich
— 2017, Degree Show, Master Fine Arts, ZHdK
— 2017, Moving Perception, Group Exhibition, Tokyo University of Arts, Japan
— 2017, Kolorit Klangfestival Zürich, Mikro Art Space, with A Void In Voices, Video Screening
— 2016, Der Schmerz des Anderen, ZHdK
— 2016, Conceptual Pain Killer, at the exhibition ‘Der Schmerz des Anderen’, ZHdK
— 2016, There Is No Plan. Your Future Is An Illusion, ZHdK
— 2015, Manual for Living, Walcheturm Zürich
— 2015, BFF Art, Seraphine Collective Art Space, Group Exhibition, Detroit

Concerts (selection)
2017 - 2021,
The Loop Zürich, Materialschau Haus Konstruktiv, Bar 3000, GDS.FM, Grüntöne Festival Schauspielhaus, Castello Festival (D), Kaffee Kind (Luzern), sic! Luzern, Oto Nove Swiss Paris/Les Instants Chavirés, Aether - a transcendental waveform market at Dampfzentrale Bern, Imbarchino Torino, Echolot Festival Luzern, Association du Salopard Lausanne, Lumpenstation Biel, Stadtsommer Zürich, Les Digitales Zürich 

Compositions for video, art, radio
2022, Die Entspannung by Veronika Spierenburg, Kunsthaus Zürich
2022, Das Brechen der Brote, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
2021, Over Time by Laura Pugno, MUSE – Science Museum, Trento (IT)
2021, Tracks by Laura Pugno, Fondazione Zegna, Biella (IT)
2021, Like Human by Maja Renn, Schauspielhaus Zürich
2021, Fragmented Delicacies by Eljo J Carranza, various film festivals
2020, Side Walk Duel by Nicola Genovese, Helmhaus Zürich

Music for theater
2021, Jeder Tag ein Vollmond by Katja Brunner, Schauspielhaus Bochum
2021, Keep in Touch, Schauspielhaus Zürich
2017/18, Divas, Tanzhaus Zürich, message salon embasy Zürich, Wunderkammer Zürich
2017/18, The Kill Joys, Impulstanz Wien, Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik Zürich, Cabaret Voltaire Zürich, Theaterspektakel Zürich, English Theater Berlin, Implantieren Festival Frankfurt

Workshops
2021, 1 day sound workshop for kids at Schauspielhaus Zürich
2021, 5 days sound workshop for kids at Südpol Luzern with Cie Corsin Gaudenz

Teaching
2021, ZHdK, Performing Arts Department, Training, Volumen des Hörens 2
2020, ZHdK, Performing Arts Department, Training, Volumen des Hörens 1
2020/21, ZHdK, Performing Arts Department, mentoring of students

Collaborations
— 2018 From Station to Station, The Kill Joys, Implantieren Festival, Frankfurt a.M.
— 2018 I AM NOT A JOKE (Take Two), The Kill Joys, Koproduktion mit English Theater Berlin, Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik
— 2017 different kind of danger, DIVAS, Stereoskop Performance Festival, Wunderkammer
— 2017, Different kind of danger, with DIVAS, Stereoskop Performance Festival
— 2017, FORGET IT BEFORE YOU WAKE UP, REMEMBER TO CALL ME LATER, with DIVAS (Aga Pędziwiatr, Rafał Pierzyński), Tanzhaus Zürich, SHOW-OFF
— 2017, I AM NOT A JOKE, The Kill Joys, Cabaret Voltaire Zürich, Tojo Theater Bern, Theaterspektakel Zürich, ImPulsTanz Wien Lounge, AUAWIRLEBEN Theaterfestival Bern, Dampfzentrale Bern/Digital Playground Festival
— 2017, I AM NOT A JOKE, The Kill Joys, Premio Schweiz, National Price for emerging artists in theater and dance
— 2017, A Void In Voices, Sound Performance, Japan-Tour: Tokyo, Kyoto, Kamakura, Yokohama
— 2017, A Void in Voices, BlauBlau Tempel, Baden
— 2016, A Void in Voices, Sound Performance, Beyond Sonification Festival, Walcheturm Zürich, Reto Art Space Zürich, Depot Basel
— 2015, travelling through our senses, performative serial project in different media, collaboration with Vanessa Heer, Institute of Contemporary Art Detroit
— 2015, Come North Baby Track 1-3, performative installation in three parts, in collaboration with Friction, Gessnerallee Zürich
— 2014, Between Spaces, Performance, collaboration with Lea Loeb, Theater Neumarkt
— 2014, One Hour Gallery, Performance, collaboration with Lea Loeb, Theater Neumarkt
— 2014, Brennen 2, Performance, collaboration with Liliane Koch, Lea Loeb, Heta Multanen, Sibylle Berg, Perla-Mode Zürich
— 2013, Essen für sie / Die Wand, Installation and performance, in collaboration with Friciton, Björn Neukom, Aleksandra Pavlovic, Perla-Mode Zürich

Curatorial Projects
— From 2018, Head of theater and performance, Curator for performing arts at Südpol Luzern
— 2013-2015 part of the artist and curator collective Friction
— 2015, Always and Forever, Art and Performance Festival, Perla-Mode, Zürich
— 2013, REALITY CHECK, transdisciplinary Festival, Friction, Perla-Mode, Zürich
— 2013-2015 Textnacht, Kontexte, Perla-Mode goes, ongoing serial events at Perla-Mode
— 2012-2013 Hilde an der Sihl, Theater Festival at ZHdK

Dramaturgy
— 2019, A Novanta by Nicola Genovese, Südpol Luzern, Fabriktheater Zürich
— 2018/19, S.H.T.F. by Nicola Genovese, Cabaret Voltaire, Shedhalle Frauenfeld, Helmhaus Zürich
— 2016, Schub, Dance-Performance by Annina Polivka, Premio Halbfinale Zürich
— 2015, Fritz, wo ist dein Zorn geblieben, Theater, directed by Philippe Heule, Theater der Künste
— 2013, Die Wildente, Dance-Performance, choreographed by Leonie Graf, Theater der Künste
— 2013, Caligula, Dance-Performance, choreographed by Leonie Graf, Perla-Mode

Residencies / Laboratories
— 2019, The Residency by Cabaret Votaire Zürich
— 2017, The Kill Joys, Laboratory Junges Forum, Digital Playground Festival Bern
— 2016 HOW DO YOU DO #1, Laboratory, AUAWIRLEBEN Festival Bern
— 2015, Artist Residency, Institute for Contemporary Art, Detroit /with Vanessa Heer
—2014, Participant of Building Bridges, international exchange program between students from ZHdK, School of Visual Arts New York, Aalto University School of Arts und Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts

Grants
2022, Tournee Förderung, Tour «18 Floors» Schweiz / Italien, Stadt Zürich Kultur
2021, Album Förderung «18 Floors», Stadt Zürich Kultur, Kulturförderung Kanton Zürich, Fuka Fonds Luzern
2021, Covid-Stipendium, Stadt Zürich Kultur
2021, Work-In-Progress Stipendium Musik, Pro Helvetia
2021, Projektförderung für «Over Time», Pro Helvetia
2019, Album Förderung «Songs for Plants», Kulturförderung Kanton Zürich, Fuka Fonds Luzern
2017, Tournee Förderung, Japan Tour mit «A Void in Voices», Pro Helvetia, Stadt Zürich Kultur  

Education
— 2019 till 2021, Research Fellow at ZHdK, Theater Department
— 2017, Master of Arts in Fine Arts at ZHdK/Zurich University of Arts (ZHdK)
— 2015, Bachelor of Arts in Theater/Focus Dramaturgy at ZHdK / Zurich University of Arts