"All I know: my parents were born in Tehran, I was born in Boston, I grew up in Hamburg and I now live in Berlin. I love nothing more than music. Everything else equals question marks, exclamation marks and dashes." This is how musician & composer Malakoff Kowalski describes himself. VOGUE magazine named him "The Piano Poet", fellow musician Chilly Gonzales regards him as one of his "favorite living composers". Kowalski refers to Debussy, Scriabin and Frederic Mompou as his influences—while Jazz from the 50s & 60s is just as important to him. "Tender musical structures that captivate the listener. One is being forced to listen closely. Kowalski's compositions may appear to be rather simple, but the world hidden inside them is most complex. From unresolved harmonic turns to frequent musical quotations—it remains unclear on how many different levels his music takes place. Its calm is only a facade." – Concerti Magazine In addition to his solo music, recorded on six albums to date, Kowalski composes for film & theater as well. As a writer he publishes passionate and controversial music critiques. In his concerts, at the grand piano, the auditorium is entirely dark, a small reading lamp above the keys being the only source of light. Igor Levit, who recently premiered a work specially composed for him by Kowalski at the Salzburg Festival, raves about his compositions: "Ferruccio Busoni once said, 'Music is sonorous air.' That's what this music is. Most wonderful sonorous air."