Recently commissioned set of solo guitar pieces in jazz-style has now also been extended for two guitars. I will be recording and releasing them this summer!

I’m looking forward to participating in two guitar workshop festivals this summer in Poland, where I will be teaching (individual classes in: classical guitar and composition), adjudicating and performing:

’XXI Summer Guitar Festival’ (Krzyzowa, Poland) 22nd July – 1st August ’21

’XXIII Mistrz i Uczeń’ (Krzeszowice, Poland) 24th – 30th of August ’21

Première Recording: Arvo Pärt’s 'Spiegel im Spiegel’ – one of his best known and most performed pieces, now in brand new arrangement for viola and guitar, now available on YouTube!
I recorded guitar part in the UK, while amazing Kaya Bryla-Weiss recorded her viola part in NYC

’Eight Miniatures For Piano and Guitar’ by Marek PASIECZNY

based and inspired by Polish Folk Music in form of Suite (2018)

Edition Type: Full Score + Guitar (part)
Publishers: SLE London
Catalogue Number: SLE072
Pages: 26
Date Published: 11 Feb 2021

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EX NIHILO (Nihil Fit) for two guitars | Marek PASIECZNY

Edition Type: Full Score + Guitar I and Guitar II (parts) + full program note by the composer
Publishers: SLE London
Catalogue Number: SLE071
Pages: 61
Date Published: 22 Jan 2021

YouTube / listen / stream

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„Picture a wave. In the ocean. You can see it, measure it, its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through. And it’s there. And you can see it, you know what it is. It’s a wave.

And then it crashes in the shore and it’s gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be, for a little while. You know it’s one conception of death for Buddhists: the wave returns to the ocean, where it came from and where it’s supposed to be”.
Chidi (‘The Good Place’)

This piece borrows ideas from two philosophies, Parmenides’s philosophy and Buddha’s concept of death:

// Parmenides’s philosophy //

” τί δ᾽ ἄν μιν καὶ χρέος ὦρσεν ὕστερον ἢ πρόσθεν, τοῦ μηδενὸς ἀρξάμενον, φῦν; οὕτως ἢ πάμπαν πελέναι χρεών ἐστιν ἢ οὐχί. / „Yet why would it be created later rather than sooner, if it came from nothing; so, it must either be created altogether or not [created at all].”
* Parmenides (c. 515 BC)

”Nothing comes from nothing” (Latin: ex nihilo nihil fit) is a philosophical expression of a thesis first argued by Parmenides. It is associated with ancient Greek cosmology – there is no break in-between a world that did not exist and one that did, since it could not be created ex nihilo in the first place.

// Buddha’s concept of death //

In book „The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching” by Thích Nhất Hạnhh, Buddha says:
„When we look at the ocean, we see that each wave has a beginning and an end. A wave can be compared with other waves, and we can call it more or less beautiful, higher or lower, longer lasting or less long lasting. But if we look more deeply, we see that a wave is made of water. While living the life of a wave, it also lives the life of water. It would be sad if the wave did not know that it is water. It would think, Some day, I will have to die. This period of time is my life span, and when I arrive at the shore, I will return to nonbeing. These notions will cause the wave fear and anguish. We have to help it remove the notions of self, person, living being, and life span if we want the wave to be free and happy.”

I have always been fascinated by the concept of waves in music, especially in the context of minimal music (also known as ‘minimalism’). Repetitive patterns or pulses, reiterations of musical phrases or smaller units can be shaped through time (of the performance) into unique musical waves. Dynamic manipulation can also give the impression of appearing and disappearing into nothingness.

Ex Nihilo is structured at all levels by the concept of waves: compositional material (from the smallest units up to entire sub-movements and the piece as a whole); dynamics (incessant rising and falling of volume and tension); orchestration (constant and often overlapping successive parts – voices); and temporal elements (different pulses, different metres, and different tempos of each sub-movements overlapping each other).

The main musical unit is built on the rising motif d # – e – f # which represents small waves climbing above the surface of the sea. As a ‘theme’, this three-note pattern repeatedly returns throughout the entire piece.

MAREK PASIECZNY
March 2020 | Zurich, Switzerland

’Ex Nihilo (Nihil Fit)’ / 'From Nothing (Comes Nothing)’ for two guitars, now on ALL major platforms!

Stream / Download / Watch HERE

Entering holiday season, 'Kyoto Sonata’ (version for guitar) is completed!
While writing 'Kyoto Sonata’ I’ve been not only inspired by three places in Kyoto, but also their particular architecture has been the structural base of the form.
Three movements / three unique places: Hōnen-in Temple (very hidden, humble, magical and just simply beautiful place), the famous and breathtaking Fushimi Inari-Taisha I spent long hours walking around, and finally: full of people, different in energy and colours – depending on the time of the day – Higashiyama-ku district with its most known temple Yasaka-no-to Pagoda.
The piece has been commissioned by and is dedicated to the German guitarist Jakob Wagner.

CONCERTO for Guitar and String Orchestra (2018)
(Tribute to Wojciech Kilar) | composed by Marek PASIECZNY

I. Nocturne: Andante con Moto
II. Ostinato (Psalm): Adagio – Allegro Moderato – Adagio
III. Toccare: Vivace Ardentemente

In 1948, Dmitri Shostakovich finished his first Violin Concerto. The first part of this concerto, ‘Nocturne – Moderato’, is a tribute to the English composer Edward Elgar and his Cello Concerto, which was deemed a breakthrough in the cello repertoire shortly after its premiere.
My Guitar Concerto is also a tribute. A tribute in memory of the Polish, Silesian composer Wojciech Kilar. Inspired by the story of Shostakovich and Elgar, I began my new concerto with a nocturne, entitled 'Nocturne – Andante Con Moto’. The compositional material of the first movement was also inspired by Wojciech Kilar’s Piano Concerto from 1997. I borrowed the use of horizontal harmonic structures, sustained by long notes in the string orchestra. This is paired with the arpeggio technique in the guitar solo part (in Kilar’s case, it was the piano solo part).

The second movement (attacca from the first movement) is entitled ‘Ostinato (Psalm): Adagio – Allegro Moderato – Adagio’. Religious, even choral-like, it has an ostinato character with a recurring theme in the form of a psalm. Faith and Catholicism were extremely important elements in the life and work of Wojciech Kilar.
The third movement was inspired by another minimalist, the American composer John Adams. The third movement of his Violin Concerto gave me the idea for the form and energy of this movement. The Finale of my concerto, entitled 'Toccare: Vivace Ardentemente’ is in the form of a toccata (Italian: toccare – to hit). It is a kind of musical duel between the soloist and orchestra, in minimalist style for which Wojciech Kilar was well-known as a master.

FULL SCORE

New transcription and arrangement of the ballad titled 'Always and Forever’ by Pat Metheny

The 29th International Festival May with Early Music (Autumn Edition) solo and duo (w/ Jerzy Zak, premiering reconstructed pieces by S.L. Weiss, D. Cato and some of my original works on baroque lute, romantic and classical guitar.

Composition:
• guidance through the compositional process from beginners up to advanced students
• helping with orchestration, instrumentation
• editing your original compositions

Classical guitar:
• if you play any of my music, you have the opportunity to work with me on my piece regardless of where you are right now
• your own music or any other pieces from the classical repertoire are also welcome
£40 / 45€ (PayPal payment in advance) per 60 min lesson

weekly lessons in packages of 5X lessons (with discount: £35 / 40€) (limited offer)  SOLD OUT

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One of the largest chamber music pieces I’ve done to date is completed. Based on my monumental duo piece for two guitars titled 'Ex Nihilo (Nihil Fit)’ premiered earlier this year in Zurich (with Vojin Kocic). Now with entire new extended version for large guitar ensemble (for up to 21 players + two soloists). Commissioned by Prof Thomas Offermann, who will conduct the premiere in November, this year in Germany.

’Dodecaphonic Prelude and Fugue’ came spontaneously into being in July ‘20 towards the end of the global lockdown brought about by the COVID‐19 pandemic. It was a compositional challenge I posed for myself to create a piece based entirely on mathematical structures shaped by the twelve‐tone technique (also known as ‘dodecaphony’). It is a technique which I have not used in over 15 years.

For me, dodecaphony, being totally free of the gravity of a tonal language, is at once liberating but with an element of ‘soullessness’ to it. One loses the sense of a ‘tonic’ base and the harmonic and melodic gravitation it holds. Yet – using a familiar and ‘tonal’ form of the prelude and fugue, the human ear can find (or perhaps wants to find) the base, the tonic and familiar tonal triads to gravitate towards. The experience has been truly liberating and, at the same time, surprising for me.

The piece is based strictly on a planned structure and was written simultaneously in two versions: for solo piano (dedicated to Carl Petersson) and solo guitar (to Vojin Kocic).

Teaching at Summer Guitar Festival organised by OKIS directed by Krzysztof Pełech — at Fundacja Krzyżowa dla Porozumienia Europejskiego / Stiftung Kreisau (Krzyżowa, Poland).

1ST Prize Winning Composition at: THE 4th INTERNATIONAL MICROTONAL GUITAR COMPETITION | İTÜ Türk Musikisi Devlet Konservatuarı | Istanbul, Turkey

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I’m happy to announce that my composition ’LE-GO!’ for classical microtonal guitar got 1ST Prize at: THE 4th INTERNATIONAL MICROTONAL GUITAR COMPETITION | İTÜ Türk Musikisi Devlet Konservatuarı | Istanbul, Turkey

Brand new recording of LITTLE SONATA now available on YouTube

Composed in South Africa and re-recorded LITTLE SONATA (in four Movements) now available worldwide

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unforgettable concert evening (including world premiere of my new work and arrangement of Arvo Part) with amazing musician and multi-awards winning guitarist Vojin Kocic during ‘Zurich Guitar Days’ / Zurich University of the Arts / Zürcher Hochschule der Künste)

I had two truly fantastic days of teaching and giving lecture during 'Zurich Guitar Days’ / Zurich University of the Arts / Zürcher Hochschule der Künste) , Switzerland. Thank you Everyone!

BOOK OF VARIATIONS: Four independent, short and easy set of variations for solo guitar

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The main reason for writing ‘The Book of Variations’, which comprises of four independent sets of variations, is the lack of major musical forms (including form of variations) in the repertoire for initial teaching of the classical guitar.

Many teachers asked me to write variations that would fit on 2-3 pages, which would be played by classical guitar beginners as well as those with more advanced skills.

I decided to write pieces that would meet these requirements. I also wrote in a way to allow for loose interpretations, offering variety in musical language, colour and character. In terms of compositional material, these variations contain not only technical challenges (such as legato, arpeggio etc.), but also musical intricacies (like counterpoint, polyphony etc.), which are rarely found in guitar literature for beginners.

In addition to this, I decided to use national elements from three countries that are all close to my heart: Poland, Taiwan and Japan. Using original folk melodies from each country, I gave each variation the character and sound of one of the cultures. In the Polish variations, I referred to distinct Polish dances (polonaise, mazurka). In the Japanese and Taiwanese variations, I drew from the idiomatic characters of their cultural instruments, such as: pipa, guzheng, koto, taiko, biwa or shamisen. Going further, to distinguish the Polish variations in their compositional material – I decided to write them in two different (particularly in the element of harmony) styles: classical and impressionistic.

Each set of variations can be played in as subjective a manner as desired, dependent on the performer’s imagination and technical skill. I have left much of the performance markings to the discretion of the performer, including range of tempos, usage of capodastre, dynamics or repetitions of each variation.

I hope that ‘The Book of Variations’ presented here will bring a lot of joy to initial learners as well as more advanced guitarists and their teachers too. Have fun!

This set of variations has been commissioned by, and is dedicated to, Mr Tomasz Polak,

MAREK PASIECZNY

May 2019 | Kyoto, Japan

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Happy to announce: new works for guitar Duo and Guitar Orchestra, commissioned by the 11th Festival of the International Guitar Academy Berlin, and Prof. Thomas Offermann w/ Aniello Desiderio – Classical Guitarist and Zoran Dukic as a soloists.

As well new work for João Luiz and Douglas Lora from BRASIL GUITAR DUO!

performing solo, duo and quartet for over 1.500 people w/ Lula Galvão, Lulo Reinhardt and Daniel Stelter during 'I International Guitarnight Ingelheim’ and ’The X Lulo Reinhardt Festival’, Germany

My ‘Mazurka’ (from 'Polish Suite’) for 2 Pianos / 8 Hands on BBC Radio 3 performed by The Tetrachord Piano Ensemble: Dimitris Karydis Petros Moschos Michalis Angelakis and Nikos Stavlas. Commissioned by Mr Aaron Shorr for the ‘International Piano Festival’ in Glasow, Scotland

BBC 3 | YouTube

Premiere! (The Switzerland Session) Anamnesis IV: After Tōru Takemitsu (for two guitars) is Out Now Worldwide!

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My solo guitar performance of Arvo Part’s FUR ALINA recently appeared in the film ”Alan Magee: art is not a solace” (by P. David Berez and David Wright).

The film’s premiere took place at the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF), Maine, USA. The film was screened at the Strand Theater in Rockland, Maine, USA.

You can watch excerpts of the film and read full comment on the performance from Mr Alan Magee.

Marek Pasieczny’s Für Alina in the film | Alan Magee: Art Is Not a Solace

A feature documentary about my work as a visual artist has just been completed after four years in production. The film, Alan Magee: art is not a solace, covers some of the influences from my childhood, my work as a book and magazine illustrator in New York through the 1970s, and a cathartic encounter with the stone beach at Pemaquid Point, Maine. Those stones showed me a way to move on from the life of an illustrator and to begin my real work. They became the subjects of my paintings, and they also taught me that sustained time and attention are essential in making a work of art.

In the film I speak about my discovery of the stones—a turning point in my life and work. That section opens with powerful footage of pounding surf at Pemaquid and ends with a series of my paintings. I and the editor David Berez realized that we needed music that would enhance and underscore the images and ideas being presented to viewers at this important moment in the story. David said to me, “the music has to instill a sense of awe”.

While searching for music that might fulfill that goal I remembered some extraordinary solo guitar performances by Marek Pasieczny and went back to listen again. When I revisited Pasieczny’s version of Arvo Part’s Für Alina I knew immediately—this is it!

Pasieczny’s arrangement and performance conveys, for me, a vast understanding that lies behind a radically spare piece of music. It achieves a quality that I strive for in my own work—to communicate an entire philosophy to a viewer using the simplest of means. When I paint a stone, a used envelope, or a rusted spark plug the handling of that subject cannot be casual, my relationship with the object has to be genuine. That is the where I feel a kinship with Pasieczny’s music. He fine-tunes our ears and reminds us to notice and marvel at the nuances of each note.

Marek and I seem to share an understanding that we have to approach our work with reverence and an unspoken but deep respect for our audience.

Alan Magee

World Premiere! I’m happy to present new album 'The Art of The Duo, Vol.V’ collaboration with New York based amazing Viola player: Kaya Bryla-Weiss

concert inauguration for new season of the ’Les Rencontres Guitares de Bulle’ w/ Swiss guitarist Hervé Dubois

interview for the front page magazine of today’s LA LIBERTÉ magazine. and for the newspaper LA GRUYERE

recording 'ANAMNESIS IV: after Toru Takemitsu’ commissioned by the 'Les Rencontres Guitares de Bulle’ on Toru Takemitsu’s 89th Birthday Annieversary! w/ Swiss guitarist Hervé Dubois at Salle del Castillo, Vevey

’Scintilla: After Arvo Pärt’ – version for Guitar Trio with amazing Krzysztof Pełech and Michal Stanikowski is Out Now!

Concert with organ virtuozo Prof. Piotr Rojek! Music by J.S. Bach, M. Pasieczny and Arvo Pärt for the inauguration of 15th International Organ Music Festival at beautiful Basilica of St John, Oleśnica, Poland

I’m so happy to be back in Fuji, Fujieda, Kyoto and Tokyo between 16-26 of May!

マレックは、5月16日から26日の間に、富士、藤枝、京都、東京の各都市で開催されます。

full album here: listen | stream | audio

„Marek’s “Tate” sonata for guitar is a great modernist composition that stretches performer’s capacities to the maximum. It is an intense, uncompromising piece, crafted with technical mastery and emotional extremes’ – Dušan Bogdanović (March, Geneva, Switzerland)

listen, watch, get your copy of the score HERE

Brand new and truly magnificent recording by Serbian guitarist Vojin Kocic of my 'PHOSPHENES’ was just released on his new album by Naxos recorded in Canada.

Spotify    iTunes    Naxos

Carlo DOMENICONI: ‘TATE SONATA shows an incredible knowledge of the guitar. Finally we found the real soul of the guitar!’ (18th of Jan. 2019, Germany)

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