“Very talented composer (…) Hope for the polish modern repertoire of classical guitar”
Maestro KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI –composer and conductor
(Canterbury, England; April 2009)
“I do consider Marek Pasieczny as a highly inspired guitarist and composer. His musical world deeply touches me by its great personality and originality. He is what I call a free artist.”
ROLAND DYENS - guitarist and composer, Teacher at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris (Paris, France; October 2008)
“New, open minded, intelligent and warm musician. In the same time a brilliant and well prepared player; shows a very deep musical education and a great talent as a composer and as a player. Marek Pasieczny is still very young, but already one of the most important guitarists-composers-musicians from our time”. CARLO DOMENICONI - guitarist and composer, Universitat der Kunste (Berlin, Germany; May 2010)
Marek is an exceptionally talented guitarist & composer. As a guitarist, Marek exhibits a fluid & expressive technique that is underpinned by a disciplined and highly evolved facility for clean, virtuosic and dynamic playing. As a composer, Marek’s prolific catalogue of works are testament to a fertile a inspired musical imagination. It is rare that an individual has the capacity to embrace both disciplines of performance & composition at such a high level so early in their career.
NIGEL WESTLAKE – composer (Sydney, Australia; May 2011)
Award winning guitarist and composer Marek Pasieczny (*1980) is one of the most popular contemporary polish composers and guitarists of the younger generation. He has completed both a Masters in Guitar Performance with distinction as well as in Composition, first studying at ‘Karol Lipinski Academy of Music’ in Wroclaw under Professor Piotr Zaleski, and later at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Scotland, U.K.
After winning several guitar and composition competitions in Poland and Scotland, Pasieczny’s career took off and has since established himself as a successful performer, composer and teacher. His career has taken him around the world including Europe (Poland, France, Germany, Italy, Czech Rep., Greece, UK, Holland, Switzerland), South Africa, Asia (China and Japan),and Australia.
As a soloist, Pasieczny has performed with orchestras such as: BBC Scotland, SBO and RSNO, “Aukso”, “Vratislavia”, “Orkiestra Swietokrzyska”, and recorded for Polish TV, Polish Radio, German ‘Nurnberg’ Radio, and BBC Radio Scotland.
Pasieczny has collaborated, performed for and among, studied under, taught with, adjudicated and chaired a panel with the likes of: Roland Dyens, Carlo Domeniconi, Kazuhito Yamashita, Pepe Romero, Manuel Barrueco, Pavel Steidl, Roberto Aussel, Anielo Desiderio, Zoran Dukic, Eduardo Catemario, Badi Assad, Annette Kruisbrink, Marcin Dylla, Gabriel Bianco, Duo Melis, Duo Katona, LAGQ and many others.
In 2004, Pasieczny dabbed his hand at jazz and had the honour of collaborating with world renowned jazz guitarist Pat Metheny and polish jazz vocalist Anna Maria Jopek for the album ‘Upojenie’.
Pasieczny’s works have been performed and commissioned by a variety of performers and festivals across the world. Premieres of his works have been performed in venues such as: Carnegie Hall NYC/USA, Lutoslawski’s Hall, Warsaw/Poland; Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall London/UK; Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury/UK; He Luting Hall and He Lv Ting Hall Shanghai/China.
Since 2004, Pasieczny’s works have been published by publishing houses: ‘PWM’ (Poland), ‘Euterpe’ (Poland), Lathkill Music (U.K.), Les Productions D’Oz (Canada) and HomaDream Inc. (Tokyo/Japan).
Education Qualifications:
2000-2005 – Master of Arts in Guitar Performance (Distinction), Wroclaw Academy of Music, Wroclaw, Poland
2005-2006 – Post-graduate Diploma in Guitar Performance (Distinction), Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD), Glasgow, UK
2006-2007 – Master of Music in Guitar Performance (Distinction), RSAMD, Glasgow, UK
2007-2008 – Post-graduate Diploma in Composition, RSAMD, Glasgow, UK
2008-2009 – Master of Music in Composition RSAMD, Glasgow, UK
Recent reviews:
‘Polish folk melodies written for guitar and symphony orchestra? Oh, yes! Pasieczny seduced the audience with his CONCERTO POLACCO during IVth Lubuskie Guitar Meetings. Philharmonic Concert Hall shivered from enthusiastic applause.(…) Pasieczny is truly the ambassador of Polish culture!’
GAZETA LUBUSKA; May 2010
‘ Yesterday it was the turn of the young bloods in the RSAMD’s Plug Festival (…). Best pieces of the day were the Six Folk Melodies by Marek Pasieczny, exquisite and haunting little miniatures from a young man who is developing into a seriously interesting figure (…)
MICHAEL TUMELTY, ‘The Herald’ (Glasgow, Scotland; April 2009)
(…) Marek Pasieczny’s String Quartet brilliantly written and exhilaratingly played by the Watson Quartet, drew on entire string quartet tradition and was constructed with the muscular, in your face panache that seems to bathe style of this inspired young man.
MICHAEL TUMELTY, ‘The Herald’ (Glasgow, Scotland; May 2008)
‘The premiere of the double concerto for guitar, clarinet and orchestra by Marek Pasieczny enjoyed a standing ovation from the public in Wroclaw Music hall during the Tenth Wroclaw Guitar Festival. Taking into consideration Pasieczny’s age, perhaps it is his youthfulness that brought about such impressive swing and precision of instrumentation.
Characteristically the piece was not only written with the soloists‘ virtuosity in mind, but also of the different instruments in the orchestra: mainly percussive (yes, even for the huge gong), but also celeste and cello.Pasieczny set the parts for guitar and clarinet against a thick curtain of orchestration, but even so, Pełech and Bokun (who had commissioned the piece) cannot complain of a lack of virtuosity in their parts, for these were not only technically difficult, but demanded the highest level of expression as well.
With a composition such as this - Pasieczny, Pełech and Bokun can conquer European stages’.
ADAM DOMAGALA, The Gazeta Wyborcza’ (Wroclaw, Poland; November 2008)
One of the most important events was the first night performance of the ‘Festival Concerto for Two’, dedicated to the city of Olsztyn. It was composed by the Polish artist Marek Pasieczny and the solo parts were performed by the composer himself together with Adam Giska under the baton of Janusz Przybylski. The concerto was written for two guitars and full philharmonic orchestra. (…).The delighted audience appreciated the concerto with a standing ovation.
ZBIGNIEW DUBIELLA, ‘The Classical Guitar Magazine’ (London, England; September 2008)
“Hommage a A.Tansman” and “American Suite” – such a fantastic compositions! Pasieczny explored every avenue of the guitar within these two totally original and diverse compositions. “Hommage…”- the colorful, beautiful, impressionistic and post-romantic piece with readable accents from polish folk music. “American Suite” – incredibly creative, surprising, cheeky swashbuckling, innovative and extremely colorful! This two originally suites for guitar solo are stunning works from every angle!
MARK ASHFORD – guitarist, Head of guitar at the Birmingham Conservatoire of Music, course leader at the IGF, Bath.
PETER LISSAUER – violinist, Head of the String Department at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Dr GORDON MUNRO – Head of Academic Studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. 24 May, 2007 Glasgow, Scotland (final MMus recital)
Important premieres, concerts and commissions in the last three years:
2010:
- February – ‘Concerto for Orchestra’ (RSAMD Symphony Orchestra, Glasgow/Scotland)
- April – 10th INTERNATIONAL BAROQUE FESTIVAL in Grodków, Poland; world premiere of ‘Baroque suite’ for 13 string lute solo. Recital solo and duo with Sylvia Sze-hua Jen (harpsichord)
- May – Japan Tour (Fuji, Fujieda, Hamamatsu, Tokyo) world premiere of Sakura Variations for guitar and violin. Solo and duo recitals with Ian Watson (violin)
- June – IInd International Piano Festival Glasgow, Scotland; world premiere of ‘Six Songs based on excerpts from Nobel Prize Winner Wieslawa Szymborska’ (for piano and mezzo-soprano) commissioned with funds made available by the ‘Scottish Arts Council’; “Suite Polonaise” celebration du 200e anniversaire de la naissance de Frederic Chopin (for two pianos and eight hands)
- July -‘The VII International Olsztynski Guitar Festival 2009’ in Olsztyn, Poland - ‘Homenaje a Chopin Concerto’ for Guitar and orchestra (Gabriel Bianco – guitar; Paris/France)
- August – ‘Natal Philharmonic Orchestra’ Durban/South Africa – double concerto for violin and flute
2009:
- April – XVII International Meeting of Guitarists in Sanok, Poland; commissioned set works for competition (for two groups)
- April – Canterbury Cathedral Polish Dances for brass quintet alongside works by Krzysztof Penderecki performed by ‘Royal Scottish Academy Brass’, directed by John Wallace, principal of RSAMD.
- April/May – ‘The Plug Festival’ Glasgow/Scotland – Sequenza (for guitar solo); Essay for chamber orchestra; ‘Mays’ (’maze…’) for piano and tape
- May – ‘II All-Polish Guitar Competition for performance of works by Polish Composers’ in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland; commissioned set work for competition
- June – ‘Festival and Competition in Elk‘, (200th anniversary of J. Haydn’s death) Poland – commissioned set works for competition (for two groups) pieces based on Haydn’s string quartets.
- July – The Dillington Guitar Festival 2009, England – Composition for vibraphone and three guitars
- July -‘The VI International Olsztynski Guitar Festival 2009’ in Olsztyn, Poland – ‘Concerto Polacco’ for Guitar DUO MELIS (Alexis Muzurakis – Greece and Susana Prieto – Spain)
- July – ‘The 6th INTERNATIONAL GUITAR COURSE AND COMPETITION’ in Poland ‘Five Miniatures based on Polish folk Music’
- July-August – Tour in South Africa (Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban); solo and duo with violinist Ian Watson
- October/November – three concerts in Warsaw and Kielce during The 5th Warsaw Guitar Festival; world premiere of Pasieczny’s “CONCERTO POLACCO” for guitar and orchestra at W.Lutoslawski’s Hall.
2008:
- January – Canada, Ontario Music festival, world premiere of ‘Tango Impressions’ for guitar solo
- April – ’2008 Shanghai Spring International Music Festival’ in Shanghai,China -‘The Score Concerto’ (for guitar and chamber orchestra) with the ‘Shanghai Orchestra’ (M.Pasieczny-guitar) , conducted by Gao Jian.
- June – ‘Tuba Concerto’ (for symphony orchestra and tuba; soloist James Gourlay – tuba)
- July – ‘The 5th International Olsztynski Guitar Festival 2008’ in Olsztyn, Poland: ‘Festival Concerto’ for two guitars and symphony orchestra; Marek Pasieczny and Adam Giska (soloists) with ‘Warminsko-Mazurska Symphony Orchestra’ conducted by Janusz Przybylski.
- October – ‘The Royal Conservatoire in Hague’ – Holland – ‘Threnody for the Victims of Belzec 1941-42′ (Jakub Kosciuszo – guitar)
Invitations as Teacher/lecturer:
2010:
- „VIth All-Polish Lubuskie Guitar Meetings” in Zielona Gora/POLAND
- The FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DELLA CHITARRA NICCOLO` PAGANINI” Parma/ITALY
- Guitar master-classes and composition lecture at the Academy of Music in Gdansk/POLAND
2009:
- International Music Festival in Elk - 200th anniversary of J. Haydn’s death ‘
- The 6th INTERNATIONAL GUITAR COURSE’ in Olsztyn / POLAND
2008:
- The Dillington Guitar Festival in Dillington / UNITED KINGDOM
- The 5th edition of International Guitar Course and Competition in Olsztyn / POLAND
Adjudication:
2010:
- The FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DELLA CHITARRA NICCOLO` PAGANINI” in Parma / Italy.
2009:
- ‘2nd All-Polish Guitar Competition for performance of works by Polish Composers’ in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, POLAND
- ‘Competition in Elk‘, (200th anniversary of J. Haydn’s death) Elk, Poland
- ‘The 6th INTERNATIONAL GUITAR COURSE AND COMPETITION’ (chairman of jury) Olsztyn, POLAND
- 8th All-Polish competition for Young instrumentalists „One step to be a master” Elk, POLAND
2008:
- The 5th edition of International Guitar Competition in Olsztyn, POLAND
- ‘1st All-Polish Guitar Competition for performance of works by Polish Composers’ in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, POLAND
Marek is playing on Paco Santiago Marin (2007)
Wielokrotnie nagradzany gitarzysta i kompozytor Marek Pasieczny (*1980), należy do jednego z najbardziej charakterystycznych gitarzystów koncertujących i kompozytorów swojego pokolenia. W latach 2000-2005 – student Akademii Muzycznej im. K. Lipińskiego we Wrocławiu w klasie gitary prof. Piotra Zaleskiego, którą ukończył z wyróżnieniem w 2005 roku. W latach 2006-2009 – studia podyplomowe oraz mistrzowskie w zakresie kompozycji oraz wykonawstwa (gitara) na “The Royal Academy of Music” w Szkocji, które ukończył z wyróżnieniem.
Jako kompozytor, gitarzysta, wykonawca, juror i wykładowca pojawiał się na festiwalach w Europie (Polska, Francja, Niemcy, Czechy, Grecja, Wielka Brytania, Włochy), Azji (Chiny, Japonia) Australii oraz Republice Południowej Afryki.
Premiery w salach koncertowych takich jak Sala im. W. Lutosławskiego (Warszawa), Wigmore Hall i Royal Albert Hall w Londynie, Katedra w Canterbury , He Luting Hall oraz He Lv Ting Hall w Szanghaju / Chiny, Town Concert Hall w Fuji, Hamamatsu and Tokjo / Japonia
Współpracował i nagrywał z orkiestrami takimi jak: BBC Scotland, Scottish Ballett, Royal Scottish National, “Aukso”, “Vratislavia”, “Orkiestra Swietokrzyska”, Orkiestra Filharmonii Lubuskiej oraz Shanghai Chamber Orchestra. W 2004 roku współpracował przy albumie ‘Upojenie’ z wokalistką jazzową Anną Marią Jopek i amerykańskim jazzowym gitarzystą Patem Metheny.
Od 2004 roku współpracuje z wydawnictwami takimi jak PWM (Polska), Euterpe (Polska), Lathkill Music (Wielka Brytania), Les Productions D’Oz (Kanada), HOMADREAM Inc. Tokjo (Japonia) oraz Signature Limited Edition (Australia).
W 2011 roku rozpoczął doktorat łączony (w zakresie wykonawstwa i kompozycji) na CQU Central Queensland University oraz The Sydney University Conservatorium of Music w Australii.
“Moim zdaniem Marek Pasieczny jest niezwykle inspirującym gitarzystą i kompozytorem. Jego muzyczny świat głęboko dotyka mnie niezwykłą osobowością i oryginalnością. Jest on doskonałym przykładem czegoś co nazywam ‘wolnym artystą’.
ROLAND DYENS – gitarzysta i kompozytor, wykładowca na ‘’Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris’’ (Paryż, Francja, październik 2008)
“Nowy, otwarty, inteligentny i ciepły muzyk. Błyskotliwy i świetnie przygotowany gitarzysta; o głębokiej muzycznej edukacji oraz wielkim talencie jako kompozytor i jako gitarzysta. Marek Pasieczny mimo bardzo młodego wieku, jest już jednym z najważniejszych gitarzystów-muzyków-kompozytorów naszych czasów”.
CARLO DOMENICONI – gitarzysta I kompozytor, Universitat der Kunste (Berlin, Niemcy; Maj 2010)
„Jako gitarzysta, Marek posiada płynną i pełną wyrazu technikę, jego grę cechuje niezwykłe zdyscyplinowanie, czystość, wirtuozeria i niebywały ambitus dynamiczny. Jako kompozytor jest niezwykle płodnym twórcą, a jego wyobraźnia muzyczna jest doprawdy niezwykła! To rzadkie, żeby tak młoda osoba opanowała, te dwie dyscypliny na tak zadziwiająco wysokim poziomie. Nie zdarza się to często w tak wczesnym stadium kariery”.
NIGEL WESTLAKE – kompozytor (Sydney, Australia; maj 2011)
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