Jakub Rataj (*1984) is a Czech composer of orchestral, chamber and electro-acoustic music. He focuses on musical physicality, the dialogue between organised sound and the human body. His compositions have been performed on many concerts and festivals (Germany, France, Spain, Japan, Russia, China, Iran, Sweden, Austria ao.), he was commissioned by ensembles such as Orchestr Berg, Prague Modern, BCO, Solaris 3, Ensemble MIET+ as well as by the Czech Radio, Prague Spring, Contempuls, BRANDNEU, Music Olomouc and has worked with Klangforum Wien, Trio Catch, Quatuor Tana, FamaQ, Ostravská Banda, Cluster Ensemble, Bennewitz Quartet, Jonathan Powell, Laszlo Fassang, Carolina Eyck, Pascal Gallois, Pierre Strauch, Kifu Mitsuhashi, Pamelia Kurstin and many other outstanding musicians, various choreographers, visual artists, theatre and film directors (Sharunas Bartas, Andrius Blazevicius, Rolando Garduńo, Kristýna Bartošová, Emil Križka ao.). Jakub received various awards for his compositions (the main award Nuberg in 2014 and 2015, Musica Nova 2014 ao.), was selected for artistic residencies (Lauréat de la Foundation Royaumont 2022, Czech Centre: 2014 - Vienna, 2015 - Madrid, 2017 - Tokyo; VICC: 2017, 2019 - Vsiby, The Swedish Arts Grant Commitee, ) and was nominated to prestigious festivals such as ISCM New Zealand (2022), Silver Crane awards (2022), Cannes Film Festival 2020, La Película Film Festival Oaxaca 2019, Tehran Contemporary MF 2018, Journées Nationales de la Musique Electroacoustique v Chalon sur Saone 2014 ao.

In 2013-2014 he studied composition and new technology with Luis Naon at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris where he also had the chance to take classes with Frédéric Durieux, Yan Maresz, Oriol Saladriguez, Tom Mays, Yan Geslin and Claude Ledoux. Jakub participated in several international composition workshops (Impuls Academy, Altitude University, ISA Academy, Ostrava Days ao.) where he took classes with Raphael Cendo, Yann Robin, Marc André, Alberto Posadas, Jean- Philippe Wurtz, Isabel Mundry, Klaus Lang, Marc Sabat and Miroslav Srnka.

In Czech Republic, he studied composition with Hanuš Barton (2010-15) at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague where he finished his Phd studies in 2020 with Luboš Mrkvicka as his mentor.

In 2015 he started to work as sound designer and musical director in the Czech Radio (Ceský Rozhlas). In the same year he founded Ensemble Terrible - an ensemble of young musicians based at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.