Mikołaj Rytowski is a creative instrumentalist and performer, with roots and formal education in percussion. His practice diverges from the conventional understanding of percussion as a musical instrument, engaging instead with sound and creativity through more organic and innovative means.
In his work, Mikołaj undertakes various creative tasks, including improvisation, composition, and composer-performer collaboration. As an interpreter, he goes beyond presentation, involving himself in the process of creation. Through his interpretation, he experiments with the form and sounds of a given piece. As a creator and improviser, he extensively explores the possibilities of percussion and electronic instruments, delving into new combinations and sonic discoveries.
He has collaborated with numerous notable artists and groups, participating in festivals such as ManiFeste Paris (FR), Time of Music (FL), Warsaw Autumn (PL), Gaudeamus (NL), Tzlil Meudcan (IL), Sanatorium of Sound (PL), Donaueschinger Musiktage (DE), Rümlingen Festival (CH), Zeiträume Basel (CH), impuls. Academy for Contemporary Music (A), Darmstadt Summer Course (DE), and Lucerne Festival (CH).
During his education at Hochschule für Musik Basel, Mikołaj studied with Christian Dierstein, Sarah Maria Sun, Marcus Weiss, Yaron Deutsch, and Mike Svoboda, simultaneously receiving coaching and mentoring  from Dirk Rothbrust, Joao Pacheco, Rainer Römer, Svetlana Maraš, Ashot Sarkissjan, and Håkon Stene. In 2016, he participated in an Erasmus exchange program in Glasgow, UK.
A significant aspect of Mikołaj's practice lies in his involvement in chamber music performance. He began with ensembles associated with the music academy in Basel, namely zone_expérimentale and Ensemble Diagonal. Soon after, he expanded his presence to include ensembles such as reConvert, Ensemble Lemniscate, Ulyssees Percussion Ensemble 2023, and iipm project. Beyond his membership in these groups, he has also been invited to perform with ensembles like Ensemble Recherche, Basel Sinfonietta, Freiburger Barockorchester, and Camerata Variabile.
Since 2019, Mikołaj lives and works primarily in Basel, Switzerland.