Mikolai Stroinski (or Mikołaj Stroiński, Polish pronunciation: [miˈkɔwaj strɔˈiɲskʲi]; born 3 June 1979)[1] is a Polish film, television, and video game composer.[2][3]

Mikolai Stroinski
Birth nameMikołaj Stroiński
Born (1979-06-03) 3 June 1979 (age 45)
Nairobi, Kenya
OriginLos Angeles, California, US
Genres
Occupation(s)Composer, music producer
Years active2004–present
Websitemikolaistroinski.com Edit this at Wikidata

Life and career

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He comes from a musical family.[4] His father, Wojciech Stroiński, was a trumpeter and pianist in the Royal Rag Jazz Band in Poland (1969–1981).[5][6] Mikolai was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and grew up in Warsaw and Zalesie Górne near the Polish capital.[5][7] He graduated from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice and the Berklee College of Music in Boston (2004), where he studied film scoring and jazz piano under Ray Santisi.[1][8] He writes original music for films and video games.[9] He is known for scoring the video games The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015), Metamorphosis (2020)[10][11] and other games, including Age of Empires IV (2021, French civilization) and Diablo Immortal (2022).[12][13]

He lives and works in Los Angeles, where he moved after graduation.[4][14] He began his career in 2004, scoring and composing music for TV programs and films, and then expanded to the gaming industry, scoring the trailer for Dark Souls II in 2014.[5][15] He is also a music producer, working from his own studio, founded in Los Angeles in 2006.[1][16] In 2017, he composed the soundtrack for the opening ceremony of the Hannover Messe world trade fair in Germany.[17] His video game music has won him awards and critical acclaim.[15][18] In 2024, Matt Leone wrote on the gaming website Polygon that he established himself as one of the strongest musical talents in the industry.[19]

Selected works

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Video games

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Year Game Developer
2014 MouseCraft Crunching Koalas
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter The Astronauts
The Witcher Adventure Game CD Projekt Red, Can Explode Games
2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt CD Projekt Red
2017 Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 CI Games
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game CD Projekt Red
2018 Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales CD Projekt Red
Kursk [uk] Jujubee
Attack of the Earthlings Team Junkfish
Detached: Non-VR Edition Anshar Studios
2019 Bee Simulator [pl] Varsav Game Studios
2019 Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts CI Games
2020 Metamorphosis Ovid Works
2021 Chernobylite The Farm 51
Age of Empires IV Relic Entertainment, World's Edge
2022 Diablo Immortal Blizzard Entertainment, NetEase
2024 Nobody Wants to Die Critical Hit Games
2025 Assassin's Creed Jade Ubisoft

Television

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  • Breakthrough with Tony Robbins (2010)
  • Baby Boomer Bunnies (2011)
  • Paradoks (2012)
  • Without Secrets (2012–2013)
  • Zbrodnia (2014–2015)
  • Kaprys losu (2016)
  • The Liberator (2020)
  • Capelli Code (2021)
  • Queen (2022)

Film

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  • Hired Gun (2009)
  • Modjeska – Woman Triumphant (2009)
  • Wonderful Summer (2010)
  • Marchewkowe pole (2016)
  • Over the Limit (2017)
  • Dangerous Words from the Fearless (2017)
  • Diplodocus (2024)
  • The Boy at the Edge of the World (2025)

Awards and nominations

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Year Result Award Category Work Ref.
2014 Won Annual Game Music Awards Best Score Orchestral / Cinematic;
Outstanding Contribution – Newcomer of the Year
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter [20]
2015 Nominated 18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition [21]
Nominated Game Developers Choice Awards Best Audio [22]
Nominated Hollywood Music in Media Awards Best Original Score – Video Game [23]
Nominated The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Won NAVGTR Awards Original Dramatic Score, Franchise [24]
Won Best of IGN Best Original Music [25]
Nominated The Game Awards Best Score / Soundtrack [26]
Won PlayStation.Blog Game of the Year Awards Best Soundtrack [27]
Won Global Game Awards Best Audio [28]
2019 Won Digital Dragons Awards Best Game Soundtrack Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales [29]
2020 Won Music Sound Awards Best Original Composition in Gaming Bee Simulator [pl] [30]
Nominated Game Audio Network Guild Awards Best Original Instrumental;
Best Music in a Casual Game;
Best Original Soundtrack Album
[31]
Won Best Music for an Indie Game [32]
2021 Nominated Metamorphosis [33]
Nominated Music of the Year
Won Society of Composers & Lyricists Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media [34]
2022 Won Canadian Game Awards Best Score / Soundtrack Age of Empires IV [35]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "'Cudowne lato': twórcy. Mikołaj Stroiński". interia.pl (in Polish). 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  2. ^ Lech, Filip (7 October 2022). "How I Composed Music for 'The Witcher': An Interview with Mikołaj Stroiński". culture.pl. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  3. ^ Penney, Andrew (16 October 2020). "How Mikolai Stroinski And Garry Schyman Created An Enchanting Score For Metamorphosis". thegamer.com. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b Idaczek, Małgorzata (2 July 2008). "Mikołaj Stroiński kompozytor muzyki filmowej w Piasecznie". powiat-piaseczynski.info (in Polish). Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Tylec, Grzegorz (25 July 2008). "Z Zalesia do Los Angeles". kurierpoludniowy.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Royal Rag Jazz Band". bibliotekapiosenki.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Nominees for original score for interactive media". copcomm.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Mikołaj Stroiński, kompozytor". wyborcza.pl (in Polish). 19 October 2018. Archived from the original on 18 November 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  9. ^ Lech, Filip. "Mikołaj Stroiński". culture.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  10. ^ Remington, Kate (29 November 2019). "Mikolai Stroinski's Light-As-Air Soundtrack For 'Bee Simulator'". wshu.org. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  11. ^ Banas, Graham (22 October 2020). "Interview: Transforming with Metamorphosis Composers Mikolai Stroinski and Garry Schyman". pushsquare.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  12. ^ Gardiner, Lin (30 March 2023). "The Music of Age of Empires IV". audiokinetic.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  13. ^ Kaufmann, Andy (18 September 2024). "Video Game Composers Discussion 2024". musicconnection.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Award-Winning Composer Mikolai Stroinski Joins CI Games' Sniper Ghost Warrior Development Team". cogconnected.com. 23 November 2015. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  15. ^ a b Hughes, Sam (1 July 2015). "Interview with Composer Mikolai Stroinski". thesoundarchitect.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  16. ^ "Mikołaj Stroiński". sfp.org.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Unique spectacle of Polish young artists". baletcolor.pl. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  18. ^ Savery, Richard (26 January 2016). "Mikolai Stroinski discusses The Witcher 3". audiogang.org. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  19. ^ Leone, Matt (7 August 2024). "Witcher 3 composer Mikolai Stroinski begins work on each game by 'going on a date'". polygon.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  20. ^ "Game Music Accolades For Stroinski". usc.edu. 1 February 2015. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  21. ^ "2015 Awards Category Details. Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition". interactive.org. Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  22. ^ Haas, Pete (9 January 2015). "GDC Awards 2015 Nominees Announced". cinemablend.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  23. ^ Feinberg, Scott (20 October 2015). "Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Brian Wilson Among Nominees". hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  24. ^ "2015 Winners". navgtr.org. 21 March 2016. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  25. ^ "IGN Best of 2015. Best Original Music Winner". ign.com. 8 January 2016. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  26. ^ Sarkar, Samit (13 November 2015). "Here are the nominees for The Game Awards 2015". polygon.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  27. ^ Masongill, Justin (12 January 2016). "Winners: PlayStation.Blog 2015 Game of the Year Awards". playstation.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Global Games Awards. The Witcher III". game-debate.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  29. ^ "2019 Digital Dragons Awards". digitaldragons.pl. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  30. ^ "The Music Sound Awards Best Original Composition 2020 Winners". masawards.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  31. ^ Cristi, A.A. (13 February 2020). "Game Audio Network Guild Announces 18th Annual G.A.N.G. Award Nominees". broadwayworld.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  32. ^ "2020 G.A.N.G Awards". audiogang.org. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  33. ^ Ferme, Antonio (28 April 2021). "G.A.N.G. Awards Winners: 'The Last of Us Part II' Leads With Eight Wins". variety.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  34. ^ "SCL Awards". thescl.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  35. ^ "Canadian Game Awards 2022 Winners". cgameawards.ca. 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
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