Unique guitar talent Marek Pasieczny to hit Istanbul stage

As part of the Akbank Sanat Guitar Days, respected classical guitarist, composer and academic Marek Pasieczny will take the stage tomorrow in Istanbul. Pasieczny holds three master's degrees in music and a combined doctoral degree. As a composer, guitarist and lecturer, the musician has performed all over the world including the Czech Republic, Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Daily Sabah sat down for an interview with Pasieczny to explore his inspirations as well as artistic and academic career.

Daily Sabah: How and when did your interest in music start?

Marek Pasieczny: As long as I can remember, my mom told me the story of me trying to play some melody on a toy piano when I was 3-years-old. That's my earliest musical memory. Neither my parents nor anyone from my family were musicians or had any musical background. It just happened to me, a gift I guess. Around 8, my dad bought me my first guitar. I didn't have a teacher until two years later, but I had been improvising on my own and that's how I started to compose I guess, not really knowing what I was doing.

DS: What is your source of inspiration when composing songs?

MP: Everything can be an inspiration for a new piece. The process of composition - the very early stage - is still a mystery for me and for many other artists - as well as musicians and writers, painters and others. Stephen King compares the art of writing to "diggings:" The fossil is already formed, and only needs to be "obtained." Pat Metheny talks about a "great broadcasting station in the sky" to which every composer has a built-in "receiver set." He is not "composing" but is simply writing down pre-existing music that he "receives." Witold Lutoslawski compares composing to a blank sheet of music paper and an eraser (not a pencil). He "wipes out" empty spaces on the music staves, "uncovering" an already-written piece.

DS: You have more than one master's degree and a Ph.D. in music. What motivated you to take an academic path?

MP: Yes that's true. I have three master's degrees in guitar performance and composition. In December 2015, I finished my Ph.D. in the U.K. Long story short, it all happened rather randomly and totally unplanned. Coincidently, I don't have much interest in academics. I love to compose, create new music, new sounds, colors and more. I especially love to write chamber and symphonic music. Working with orchestras and performing with orchestras is definitely the highlight of my profession. Being a performer - a guitarist - is definitely peripheral for me being a composer.

DS: You were the d'Addario artist in 2012, among great names such as Keith Urban, Joe Satriani, Charles Lloyd and many others. What does that mean to you?

MP: Of course it means a lot. It's great to be part of the d'Addario family and be among all those great musicians. I'm honored to be just a small part of this family, and represent it as best as I can in the area of classical guitar and composition. It's a great company who greatly takes care of its artists. It's very rare in today's world.

DS: Is this your first concert in Istanbul? Have you ever been here before? If so, what is your impression about the city and people?

MP: I have never been to Turkey before. This is my very first - and I hope not the last - time. I'm thrilled to bring my own music and perform for the Turkish audience. It's also a blessing to get to know new people and a new culture. I hope I will be able to come back to Istanbul soon with some new projects.

DS: What is your opinion about Turkish musicians? Is there any special figure you like and want to share the stage with?

MP: It would be great to perform some of my guitar concertos with Turkish orchestras of course. Outside classical music, I'm only familiar with Turkish jazz guitarist Erkan Oğur who is indeed a great guitarist and improviser. To be honest, I would love to collaborate with some bağlama virtuoso players and create new pieces for guitar and bağlama - East meets West - as well as collaborate with some Turkish folk players, listening and learning from them. It could be a great experience. Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven took some influence from Turkish culture - Haydn's "Military Symphony," Beethoven's or Mozart's famous rondo marked "Alla Turca," just to name few. I hope it's just the beginning of my relationship with Turkey and I will be able to come back soon. During this year, I'm also performing in China, New Zealand, Australia and a couple of countries in Europe. Although it's my first time in Turkey, it's always the most special experience.