Michaela Cornelius (Mika)

Michaela Cornelius, or Mikatte Music, is an Auckland-based composer and sound designer. They completed their BMus Honours at the University of Auckland, specialising in Composition and Sonic Arts, during which they explored the viola as a vocal instrument and innovated methods used in planning the compositional process, using timelines to layer micro-ensembles in orchestral works. Previous research has also focused on the application of constraints and RNG in the compositional process. Michaela has had works performed at the Douglas Lilburn Composition Prize concert, APO and NZSO orchestral readings, and their works have been recorded as part of the SOMSA Recording Project, a student-led initiative at the University of Auckland.

Michaela has created sound design and music for video games, theatre, short films and podcasts. In 2022, they released the soundtrack for Her Jentle Hi-ness, a visual novel with historical and linguistic themes, and they have created sound design for Dredge, a fishing sim with a sinister undercurrent. In 2021, their soundtrack was premiered in the Auckland Fringe Festival for Coded: a one-woman play exploring female sexuality. They are involved as a composer and audio editor for Don’t Forget Your Towel, creating evocative theme songs for a wide range of TTRPGs.