NEO VARIATIONS: Tribute to John Towner Williams now available on YouTube!

Giving master-classes at the IXth Edition of Guitar Workshops ’Mistrz i Uczeń’ at The Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music – till 6th of August | with David Russell

Brand new composition for solo guitar titled NEO VARIATIONS: Tribute to John Towner Williams now available worldwide on iTunes | Amazon  | GooglePlay | and 150 + other stores and streaming services.

 'Pasieczny: Piano Music’ by Sylvia Sze-Hua JEN (piano) | is out now Worldwide! Available on: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Dezeer and 150+ other stores and streaming services.

Recording of Mr Pasieczny’s Lutoslawski: In Memoriam for two guitars now available worldwide!

LUTOSLAWSKI: In Memoriam by Marek PASIECZNY | performed by Sylvia Sze-Hua Jen | To Download Full Score FREE click HERE

World Premiere Recording of latest album by Marek Pasieczny titled: 'THE ART OF THE DUO’ (music of Pasieczny for two guitars) with guitarist Michał Stanikowski is available on iTunes  Amazon  GooglePlay

Andrzej BAUER (cello) Marek PASIECZNY (guitar) | World premiere during The ISCM World Music Days 2014, Wroclaw, Poland, October 2014. Project co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland within the programme „Collections” – the priority „Composition Commissions” implemented by the Institute of Music and Dance.

Taiwanese guitarist Chiawei Lin gave a U.S. premiere of Marek Pasieczny’s composition titled THE TANGO IMPRESSIONS: Tribute to the Art of Astor Piazzolla. The premiere took place at prestige Carnegie Hall, NYC on 23rd of October, 2014

Anamnesis | After Toru Takemitsu has been published and recorded.

 

Brand new composition commissioned and dedicated to the ISCM World Music Days (this year based in Poland, Wroclaw) entitled ANAMNESIS is going to be premiered during the concert Strings + . This three movement duo for cello and guitar will be premiered by world renowend cellist Andrzej BAUER and the composer Marek PASIECZNY himself. All details HERE

Brand new Mr Pasieczny’s cycle for two guitars titled POLISH IMPRESSIONS is now available! 

Premiere of Marek Pasieczny’s brand new symphonic concerto for two guitars and large orchestra entitled: ‘THE DOUBLE PORTRAIT ’ now available on CD! Listen examples HERE

Marek Pasieczny will be a member of the international adjudicating panel during the Jan Edmund Jurkowski Memorial Guitar Competition as part of The SILESIAN GUITAR AUTUMN. Also Pasieczny’s „GO-DAI concerto: Takemitsu: in Memoriam” is one of the 'optional guitar concertos’ for the final 3rd stage of the competition. Invited guests of the festival include Jordi Savall, Andrew York, Odair Assad, Andrew Lawrence-King (among many others)

Marek Pasieczny will be teaching, adjudicating and giving composition workshops in Poland during two international summer guitar courses in Trzęsacz and Krzyżowa. Details —> 17th INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL in Trzęsacz | SUMMER GUITAR WORKSHOP

Standing ovation after the world premiere of Marek Pasieczny’s brand new symphonic concerto for two guitars and large orchestra! The concerto entitled: ‘THE DOUBLE PORTRAIT ’ – concerto for two guitars and symphonic orchestra, was commissioned by the 10th International Guitar Festival  in Zielona Gora, Poland. The premiere took place on the 9th of May 2014 in Zielona Góra, Poland at the Philharmony Concert Hall.

Soloists: Marek Pasieczny and Michał Stanikowski; Conductor: Maestro Jacek Kraszewski with Symphonic Orchestra of the city of Zielona Góra.

ANAMNESIS | After Toru Takemitsu by MAREK PASIECZNY
performed by SYLVIA SZE-HUA JEN
I. Spaciously II. Slightly faster III. With more movement

(…) perhaps I am one of those who try to see the invisible, to hear the inaudible. Human perception is not uniform but has varying levels. My music is something like a signal sent to the unknown. Moreover, I imagine and believe that my signal meets another’s signal, and the resulting physical change creates a new harmony different from the original two. And this is a continuous, changing process. Therefore, my music will not be complete in the form of a score. Rather, if refuses completion.

Toru Takemitsu
(from 'Gardener of Time’; September 16, 1993 Tokyo)

ANAMNESIS | After Toru Takemitsu

From the Greek words anamimnēskein meaning to recall, to remember; and mimnēskein: to call to mind. In psychology, 'anamnesis’ is used to describe the recall to memory, a recollection; while in medicine, it represents the ability to recall past events. In philosophy, 'anamnesis’ is a concept in Plato’s epistemological and psychological theory. Platonicism is a recollection of the ideas which the soul had known in a previous existence, especially by means of reasoning. It is the idea that humans possess knowledge from past incarnations and that learning consists of rediscovering that knowledge within us. In the Catholic religion, 'anamnesis’ appears as a prayer in a Eucharistic service, recalling the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ.

In 1992, Takemitsu composed a trio for flute, viola and harp entitled „And then I knew ’twas wind”. This work is a late example of Takemitsu’s life-long interest in French music. It was his tribute to Claude Debussy. Takemitsu borrowed the instrumentation of Debussy’s Sonata No. 2 for flute, viola, and harp, and also alluded to it by a literal quote of a rising figure that first appears in the viola. He described the piece as a „…soul, or unconscious mind (we could even call it a 'dream’), which continued to blow, like the wind, invisibly, through human consciousness.” Following Takemitsu’s idea of borrowing and quoting, I took a figure from the harp solo in the very first opening bar of Takemitsu’s „And then I knew ’twas wind”. The original material is a six-note figure which I have used throughout my piece, partially presented six times (twice in every movement) and finally appearing in its complete form at the end of the piece.

ANAMNESIS has been divided into three movements, with each movement increasing in tempo resulting in a gradual condensation in the flow of time. The piece is however meant as a whole, with the movements connected in two ways. Firstly, each movement consists of materials from the other two movements; however this diminishes progressively towards the end. Almost half of the first movement consists of materials from the 2nd and 3rd movements. The second movement, however, contains only nearly 30% of the materials from the 1st and 3rd movements. Finally the third movement is made up of 80% new material with the remaining 20% from the 1st and 2nd movements. The core linking factor of the piece is a five-note pattern – forming the main theme (based in part on the Japanese Ichikosucho scale) — which unfolds partially in the first movement, finally presented in its entirety in the second movement, and returning in reminiscence at the very end of movement three.

Composed simultaneously in two versions – for solo piano and solo guitar (in December 2013 – January 2014), I have based ANAMNESIS on the same guitar tuning I used for The GO-DAI Concerto (both in memory of Toru Takemitsu), to recall the compositional steps I took while composing that piece. The phenomenon of ANAMNESIS (i.e. recalling to memory) is also reflected musically via a number of 'central notes’ which continuously recur (indicated in the guitar score by dotted lines). This suggests (for the listener) the illusion of memory of previously heard notes. In the piano version, ANAMNESIS is captured through dynamic contrasts (the echo effect); while in the guitar version, it is achieved through repeating the same note on different strings or via natural or artificial harmonics.

Marek Pasieczny
LONDON, The UK Jan.2014

Marek Pasieczny is going to perform solo recital and give lecture during the GitarFest 2013 International Festival in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 28-30 of November 2013 details: here

Marek’s new composition for solo guitar titled AFTER BRAD : VARIATIONS (to Brad Mehldau) is available in score!

Marek Pasieczny has released brand new recording of his AFTER BRAD : VARIATIONS (to Brad MEHLDAU)

After Brad: Variations came into being during the day of the 13th of August 2013. In the ensuing weeks, it went through the „cleaning up from superfluous settings” process (the already existing structure remaining untouched). The construction of the piece is based on classical form of theme and variations (opening theme followed by ten variations closing with reminiscence of the theme). The theme deliberately does not have a melody but only a defined harmonic structure, followed by variations precisely based on this harmonic skeleton. Only notes used in the main theme are used in the variations. Also the variations themselves correspond with each other (in terms of articulation, dynamic and material). Half the variations (and the main theme itself) have purposely been written without note stems in „open time” X/4 signature. This is meant to give freedom, independence, creativity and sense of improvisation to the performer. In terms of language and harmony, this piece is advanced; however, technically it is not truly demanding and very short in form.

For many years I have been under the huge influence of composer and jazz pianist virtuoso Brad Mehldau. His work entitled „Variations on a Melancholy Theme” for piano solo had a major compositional impact on me. I decided to capture (in least obvious way and without quoting any of his original music) Brad’s harmonic mood on solo classical guitar.

Naturally this composition is dedicated to Brad as my tribute and gratitude.

Marek Pasieczny
London, The UK | October 2013

Marek Pasieczny is going to perform his GO-DAI CONCERTO back in Poland during the Warsaw Guitar Festival. The performance will take place 7pm 16th of November 2013 at Witold Lutoslawski Hall | Concert Radio, Warsaw. Marek Pasieczny (soloist) with Swietokrzyska Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Jacek Rogala.

full score of Marek’s SAKURA NO HANA recently recorded with Michał Stanikowski and dedicated to DUO JONCOL is now available!

“ (…) The Go-Dai Concerto is not only a triumph for the guitar technically; it marks a turning point in the instrument’s repertoire for the concerto medium. For many commentators the guitar’s relationship with ensemble has always had great potential, but few examples have come to the fore to define the instrument in this way.
Pasieczny has shown here not only what level of musical interaction is possible with orchestra, but also how the guitar might come to redefine the orchestral palette for a new crop of composers. I am certain that its significance will lie in its future status as a milestone for the guitar canon.”

Guy TRAVISS March 2013, London (‘CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE’)

„Go-Dai Koncert to nie tylko triumf dla instrumentu, jakim jest gitara; to punkt zwrotny w repertuarze koncertów gitarowych w ogóle. Dla wielu komentatorów związek, jakim jest gitara z towarzyszeniem orkiestry, miał zawsze ogromny potencjał, jednak zaledwie tylko kilka przykładów koncertów w całej ich historii zdaje się to potwierdzać. Pasieczny wykazał nie tylko jak wysoki poziom muzycznej interakcji między solistą a orkiestrą jest możliwy do osiągnięcia w tej formie, ale także jak gitara może przedefiniować całą kompozytorską paletę orkiestracji koncertu na gitarę. Jestem pewien, że koncert ten wkrótce otrzyma status „kamienia milowego” wpisując się tym wkrótce w światowy kanon gitarowy.

Guy Traviss

(muzykolog, dziennikarz) Marzec 2013, Londyn (Classical Guitar Magazine)

Sept 11 Auckland concert 7.30pm School of Music Auckland University, Music Theatre, 6 Symonds St

Sept 12 Auckland concert 10-12pm / 1-2pm master class / composer workshop Auckland University, Studio One Kenneth Myers Centre

Sept 13 concert 7.30 pm Hamilton Guitar Society, Lady Goodfellow Chapel, Waikato University.

Sept 15 concert 7.30 pm New Plymouth Guitar Society, 4th Wall Theatre, 11 Baring Terrace, Strandon.

Sept 17 Wellington NZSM master class Massey Theatrette 6-9pm

Sept 18 12-2pm master class

Sept 18 Wellington NZSM composition workshop (3.10-4.30pm)

Sept 19 Wellington Polish Embassy/NZSM concert Massey Theatrette 7.30pm

Lutoslawski: In Memoriam | for solo guitar – score now available!

brand new composition has been released. Pasieczny’s triptych for solo guitar LUTOSLAWSKI: In Memoriam

Entire piece has been composed only on five notes (A, B, C, E, and F – pentatonic scale). Dedicated to Britta Schmitt and Carles Guisado Moreno | DUO JONCOL

Arvo Pärt: Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka : Marek PASIECZNY / Michał STANIKOWSKI (guitars) | Original version for two guitars arranged by Marek PASIECZNY.

„The Polish Sketches is a fantastic piece which brings us melodies and rhythms from the Polish folklore through a very imaginative and colourful modern language. Marek Pasieczny is one of the most talented young composers of our time and we feel honoured by this dedication.”

Susana Prieto and Alexis Muzurakis | DUO MELIS
Strasbourg, France (June, 2013)

Premiere recording by Marek Pasieczny and Michał Stanikowski

'Surf lingo’ or 'surfer’s slang’, is the unique jargon of surfers, an unusual vocabulary associated with the world of surfing. In this language, the word 'SPIFFY’ is often used to describe something cool, fun or radical, but also could be used to refer to an attractive woman.

I’ve always been interested in creating new sounds, new techniques, and new ways of combining different musical styles. 'Spiffy is an example of that. There is no limit to defining what is 'good’ or 'serious’ or what 'Music’ is. I consider myself first of all to be someone who loves all music. It was fun to compose this piece and it gives me great pleasure when performing it. I hope that you (as a player or even just as a listener) will find that same kind of joy I experienced in this composition.

I composed this piece in UK (April), premiered during „Sul Tasto Festival” in Paris, France (May) and recorded in Germany (June) 2013. This piece is dedicated to Ana Vidovic.

„The Go-Dai Concerto is not only a triumph for the guitar technically; it marks a turning point in the instrument’s repertoire for the concerto medium. For many commentators the guitar’s relationship with ensemble has always had great potential, but few examples have come to the fore to define the instrument in this way.
Pasieczny has shown here not only what level of musical interaction is possible with orchestra, but also how the guitar might come to redefine the orchestral palette for a new crop of composers. I am certain that its significance will lie in its future status as a milestone for the guitar canon.”

Guy TRAVISS March 2013, London (’CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE’)

“CALL FOR GUITARISTS” – Competition Winners announced!

We are very happy to announce the collaboration between Marek Pasieczny and Brazilian composer Clarice ASSAD. From almost 120 submissions Marek together with another five players (Alieksey Vianna, Cecilio Perera, Connie Sheu, Gaële Sola and Jose Antonio Escobar) has been chosen to participate closely in new project with Clarice. Details soon!

„You have written an extraordinary piece of music. SCINTILLA has a unique sound and a strong personality permeating each phrase. I love your performance, as you give it depth and passion. I am honored that you have dedicated this piece to me. Thank you very much, David RUSSELL ”

ROLAND DYENS: „Great experience with Desejo, i’m glad for you. It’s good piece and no doubt Odair will be a great ambassador of it.”
’DESEJO’ in Portuguese means 'wish’, 'desire’, 'pleasure’ or 'longing’ and that’s exactly what this project means to me and how I felt when Odair Assad asked me to compose something for his 'solo’ project. I’m honored to write and dedicate this piece to my musical hero and living legend Odair Assad.
Marek Pasieczny (London, November 2012)

The Tango Impressions | Tribute to the Art Of Astor Piazzolla has been finally published by PWM.

We are very happy and thrilled to announced that Marek Pasieczny become the featured artist worldwide (August Issue) of  CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE. Interview by Guy Traviss (CG) about Marek Pasieczny’s compositional style and ethics.

New commission from International Guitar Festival in Tychy / Poland to compose and world premiere a new guitar concerto for guitar and orchestra. This work will be inspired by Japanese traditional music and will be a tribute to Japanese classical composer Toru Takemitsu.

Pasieczny’s new concerto will be performed amoung  world renowned legendary guitarist Kazuhito Yamashita will perform Keiko Fuji’s “Kyoto; Reverberation” double concerto for guitar and double bass (European premiere). This  will be a part of the “2012 Silesian Guitar Autumn” – an internationally acclaimed guitar festival – taking place from the 13^th to 20^th October 2012. Other special guest appearances will include : Kazuhito Yamashita, Tomatito, Sergio Assad, Odair Assad, Badi Assad, Ana Vidovič and many more.

more info HERE

Upcoming world premiere of Marek Pasieczny’s brand new strong quintet titled CONCERTO CHACONNE | prelude and chaconne (25 variations and cadenza | the concerto for guitar and string quartet) will take place during the The XVth INTERNATIONAL GUITAR MUSIC FESTIVAL in Trzesacz, Poland between 7th and 9th of June. Pasieczny is going to premiere this quintet together with world renowned The SILESIAN STRING QUARTET.

The work is commissioned and dedicated to Cezary Strokosz and „The 15th Anniversary of International Music Guitar Festival in Trzęsacz, Poland”

Excellent review by Colin Cooper (Classical Guitar Magazin) on Pasieczny’s LITTLE SONATA: 

“Most composers are aware of the difficulties in writing good music that is at the same playable by amateurs. They have reached a high executive level on the instrument of their choice, and cannot resist showing it. Mozart was one of them (…) Marek Pasieczny’s LITTLE SONATA is in this category. (…). This young man knows what he is doing and what he is doing is exciting”. COLIN COOPER, Classical Guitar Magazine | April 2012

click HERE to read FULL review

New composition for two guitars finished! Six movement work called POLISH SUITE is dedicated to Duo Melis – Susana Prieto and Alexis Mazurakis.

This duo is composed in the avant-garde modern and post-classical language. Innovative investigation into the dramatic and virtuosic possibilities of musical performance, and in compositional terms – as well investigation into a widely comprehended sonority of the two instruments.

World-renowned Dutch guitarist and composer Annette Kruisbrink recently finished her new piece for solo guitar. The new composition is titled KERAMIX | homage to Witold Lutosławski | in six movements. This works has been dedicated to Marek Pasieczny. This composition will be recorded at the begging of 2012.

The score is publish in Canada by Les Production’s D oz click here to purchase the score

Pasieczny is giving world premiere of Carlo DOMENICONI’s new work called 墓石～菅原潤への追悼～ „TOMBEAU remembering Jun SUGAWARA” is available now in [HD] 

Carlo Domeniconi (composition)  カルロ・ドメニコ (作曲) マレック　パッツイチエニー (ギター) Marek Pasieczny (guitar)

This is an acoustic version of a remix by NICK BERTKE (better known as POGO) titled JOBURG JAM (the sights and sounds that he filmed around the city of Johannesburg, South Africa).

I tried to imitate all the voices and sounds on ONE classical guitar (creating almost 17 separate layers and later during the editing process added occasional reverb and using the 'reverse note’ effect). This is my tribute to the works by POGO and South Africa, a country with which I have close ties.

Variations SATO NO AKI “里の秋”の主題による変奏曲 for solo guitar based on Japanese traditional folk melody NOW AVAILABLE!

“I think Sato No Aki is the kind of pieces classical guitar of the 21th century strongly needs: expressive, with a huge variety of tones and colours and a big part of it devoted to silence. In my opinion this work is the way today’s music should be actually: modern but poetic still, close to guitar roots but opened to the future.
For all this, I’m truly humbled Marek Pasieczny dedicated it to me”
Roland Dyens (guitarist and composer) Paris; November, 2010

Pasieczny’s two works for solo guitar:  „Threnody of The Victims of Bełżec” and „Sequenza” got 2nd and 3rd prize during the IIIrd International Composition Competition „Claxica” in Italy (among 42 different compositions).

We are happy to announce that Marek Pasieczny was recently invited to become a representative artist of the D’Addario label.

Among 83 composers ,120 submitted works from 12 different countries Pasieczny’s „SEQUENZA” for solo guitar got 2nd prize. Pasieczny was the only non-American composer awarded this year at this International Composition Competition.

Po ponad rocznej przerwie Marek Pasieczny powraca w tym roku kilkukrotnie z koncertami do Polski! Marek pojawi się także w roli jurora i wykładowcy. W planie premiery nowych koncertów gitarowych z towarzyszeniem orkiestr kameralnych, wykłady, prowadzenie lekcji oraz kurs podstaw kompozycji.

II OGÓLNOPOLSKIE SPOTKANIA GITAROWE – Elbląg | 15-18 marzec

koncert inauguracyjny | Elbląska Orkiestra Kameralna | Piotr Komorowski – dyrygent | HOLLYWOOD CONCERTO (premiera polska) | lekcje mistrzowskie | przesłuchania konkursowe

VIII LUBUSKIE SPOTKANIA GITAROWE – Zielona Góra | 10-13 maja

koncert filharmoniczny | Orkiestra Symfoniczna Filharmonii Zielonogórskiej | Czesław Grabowski – dyrygent | HOLLYWOOD CONCERTO | lekcje mistrzowskie

XV MIĘDZYNARODOWY FESTIWAL MUZYKI GITAROWEJ – Trzęsacz | 7- 9 czerwca

koncert jubileuszowy festiwalu | Kwartet Śląski | CONCERTO CHACONNE na gitarę i kwartet smyczkowy | preludium i chaconne (25 wariacji i kadencja) – koncert na gitarę i kwartet smyczkowy (premiera światowa) | lekcje mistrzowskie | przesłuchania konkursowe

LETNI FESTIWAL GITARY KRZYŻOWA 2012 – Krzyżowa | 26 lipca – 8 sierpnia

praktyczny kurs podstaw kompozycji | lekcje mistrzowskie | orkiestra gitarowa „młodych adeptów kompozycji”

XIV Międzynarodowy Festiwal ŚLĄSKA JESIEŃ GITAROWA – Tychy | 13-20 października

koncert inaugurujący | Orkiestra Kameralna ‘AUKSO’ | Marek Moś – dyrygent | TAKEMITSU: In Memoriam; guitar concerto (premiera światowa)