Aleksander Kolkowski

Aleksander Kolkowski (born 1959) is a British musician and composer known for his innovative use of instruments and machines from the early era of sound recording and reproduction. He combines Stroh violins, wind-up Gramophones, shellac discs, and wax-phonograph cylinders to create live mechanical-acoustic music. Kolkowski studied music at the University of London, Goldsmiths College, and received violin training at the Royal Academy of Music. He has worked with notable figures such as John Tilbury and Hugh Davies and participated in seminars and performances directed by John Cage. In addition to his experimental music career, Kolkowski also played violins on Henry Badowski's post-punk album, 'Life Is a Grand...' in the late 1970s.