Agnieszka Derlak

Agnieszka Derlak is a pianist, composer, educator, and Assistant Professor at the Department of Jazz and Entertainment Music, Faculty of Arts, University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska (UMCS) in Lublin, Poland. She is recognized for blending jazz innovation with neurodidactic principles in teaching.

• Education: Berklee College of Music (2019), Academy of Music Karol Szymanowski in Katowice (2017).

Research & Artistic Focus: Derlak explores harmonic solutions from Karol Szymanowski's works as inspiration for contemporary music, emphasizing neurodivergent expression, improvisation, and emotional complexity. Her doctoral thesis, currently in progress, investigates this intersection.

Artistic Achievements: Her debut album First Thought (2015) earned the Fryderyk Award in the Jazz: Debut of the Year category, while subsequent albums Healing (2017) and Parallel (2023) highlight her evolving experimental style.

Scientific Awards:

• Fryderyk Award (2016) - Jazz: Debut of the Year.

Performance & Collaborations: Derlak has performed internationally at festivals such as Jazz Jamboree, Panama Jazz Festival, and Edinburgh Jazz Festival. She collaborates with artists like Zbigniew Namysłowski, Luciana Souza, and Kacper Malisz, merging jazz, hip-hop, avant-garde, and traditional music.