She graduated from the Faculty of Vocal Music and Drama of the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz in the class of professor Alicja Marczak-Faberowa. She started her artistic activity already during her studies cooperating with the National Concert Office and The Capella Bydgostiensis Madrigal Singers Ensemble. She was a full member of the Ensemble in the years 1988-1991. She cooperated also with the Symphonic Orchestras of Pomeranian Philharmonic, Olsztyn Philharmonic, Lublin Philharmonic, Toruń Chamber Music Orchestra and Johann Strauss’ Orchestra. In her repertoire she has many solo parts in oratorios and cantatas, among others by J.S. Bach, D. Buxtehude, A. Caldara, M.A. Charpentier, J. Haydn, W.A. Mozart, G.B. Pergolesi, H. Purcell and A. Vivaldi. She performed both in Poland and abroad (Austria, France, Spain and China).

Since 1992 Ms. Michalak has been a member of Early Music Ensemble Collegium Vocale which specializes in the Renaissance vocal a cappella music. She performed at almost all most important festivals of the early music in Poland and also abroad (Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Belarus). With the ensemble she recorded three CDs. One of them – with the music of Marcin Leopolita and Wacław z Szamotuł received Prize of the Polish Phonographic Academy Fryderyk 2001 in the category Album of the Year – Early Music; another one – with Polish passion songs was nominated to Fryderyk 2004 prize in the Vocal Music category. In her oeuvre there are also numerous recordings for the Polish Radio and TV.

She also deals with pedagogical endeavors. Since 1984 she has worked at the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz where she went through all levels of scientific and artistic career being granted the title of the Artistic Arts Professor by the President of the Republic of Poland in 2013. Among her graduates there are many laureates of All-Polish and international vocal competitions. She has been a member of jury on All-Polish vocal competitions, conducts also vocal master classes for secondary music school students.

In the years 2005-2012 she was the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Vocal Music and Drama at her Alma Mater. During the 2012-2016 cadence she was appointed to be the Deputy Rector for Artistic Affairs.

In the years 1995-2013 she was a board member of The Paderewski Music Association in Bydgoszcz. During this period she was the Director of four editions of The Paderewski Vocal Competition.

For her artistic and pedagogical activity she has been granted numerous prizes, among others by the Marshall of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, The President of the City of Bydgoszcz and the Rector of the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz. In 2012 she was awarded with an honorary distinction Meritious for the Polish Culture and in 2014 with Gold Medal for the Many Years’ Service.