Roman Z. Novak began his musical studies at the age of six with piano lessons. In 1977, he emigrated with his parents to West Germany. In 1985, he became interested in composition, and, after a period of self-instruction, studied privately with J. Mainka in Karlsruhe (seminars also with M. Spahlinger). In 1990 he participated at the Darmstadt Festival, in 1994 at the Oregon Bach Festival and in 1996 at composition courses in Cesky Krumlov. Following his return to Czechoslovakia, he was studying composition with Marek Kopelent at the Music Faculty of the Academy of Perfoming Arts in Prague. While studying at the Academy he participated in composition courses in Darmstadt, Eugene /Oregon/, Leipzig and Krakow. In 1995, he won the 2nd prize in the "Prague Spring Festival" internationl composition competition. Since 1997, he has become interested in multi-communicating projects and compositions, in which he besides instrumental and vocal music also uses speech, modern dance, and the sign language of deaf-mute people. All these aspects are put together in a heterophonic way with the vision of a "GESAMTKUNSTWERK". In 1998, he co-founded the civic organization "ARTn" and became its chairman in 2000. He is also a member of the civic association of composers and musicologists Atelier '90. Apart from his activities as composer, he devotes his time also to conducting - he is the artistic leader of the Hlahol Singing Club in Prague, and a choirmaster of the Church choir in Praha-Modrany.