Krzysztof Knittel (born 1947) is a composer, teacher and musical improviser. Since 1973 he has worked with Polish Radio’s Experimental Studio. He’s a co-founder of several musical groups, including KEW, the Independent Studio of Electroacoustic Music (Niezależne Studio Muzyki Elektroakustycznej), Light from Poland and the Freight Train Ensemble (Pociąg towarowy).

He studied sound direction, composition (under Tadeusz Baird, Andrzej Dobrowolski and Włodzimierz Kotoński), and computer music (under Lejaren Hiller) at the Higher State School of Music in Warsaw. In 1974-75 Knittel studied programming at the Institute of Mathematics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. In 1978 he worked at The Center of the Creative and Performing Arts in Buffalo.

In his work, Knittel combines accomplishments in electro-acoustical music with other fields of music and art, including poetry, visual arts, performance and improvisation.

He has written music for films including Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Camera Buff. From 2004 to 2010 he was a member of the Programme Council of the Zachęta National Gallery of Art. Knittel was director of the Warsaw Autumn festival in 1995-98, and in 1999-2003 was president of the Union of Polish Composers.