Silesian Guitar Octet
Encyclopedia
Silesian Guitar Octet is the only performing octet
in the world that has a stable structure. The Octet consists of professors, graduates and students of Musical Academy in Katowice
, Poland
.
The Octet
was composed of professors, graduates and students of Musical Academy in Katowice
, Poland
.
The group received 1st Prize at the International Festival INTER ARTIA ([Greece])2008.
Silesian Guitar Octet has been recorded for BBC WORLDS
Television and Polish Radio.
The first album of the group, entitled OCT.OPUS, was nominated to the great Polish Music Award FRYDERYKI
in 2009.
Second album of the group - The XXth Century - was released in January 2011.
Silesian Guitar Octet has appeared in numerous concerts in Poland
as well as in the Czech Republic
, Denmark
, Hungary
, Slovakia
, Sweden
, Austria
, Greece
, Italy
and the UK
.
The groups core repertoire consists of works by J.S. Bach
, W.A. Mozart
, P.I. Tchaikovsky, E. Grieg, M. Ravel
, J. Turina
, G. Gershwin
, A. Khachaturian
, L. Bernstein
, L. Brouwer
, R. Dyens
and many others.
Octet (music)
In music, an octet is a musical ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or a musical composition written for such an ensemble.-Octets in classical music:Octets in classical music are one of the largest groupings of chamber music...
in the world that has a stable structure. The Octet consists of professors, graduates and students of Musical Academy in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
The Octet
This musical body was created in 2001 by the initiative of Franciszek Wieczorek. In the beginning there was an idea to put together as many guitars as possible and at the same time not to create a guitar orchestra. Originally, each of the guitarists should have his or her own part. Later on, the number of guitarists has become eight.The Octet
Octet
-Music:* Octet , ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or composition written for such an ensemble* Octet , 1793 composition by Ludwig van Beethoven* Octet , 1825 composition by Felix Mendelssohn...
was composed of professors, graduates and students of Musical Academy in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
The group received 1st Prize at the International Festival INTER ARTIA ([Greece])2008.
Silesian Guitar Octet has been recorded for BBC WORLDS
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Television and Polish Radio.
The first album of the group, entitled OCT.OPUS, was nominated to the great Polish Music Award FRYDERYKI
Fryderyk
The Fryderyk is the annual award in Polish music. Its name refers to the original Polish spelling variant of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin's first name...
in 2009.
Second album of the group - The XXth Century - was released in January 2011.
Silesian Guitar Octet has appeared in numerous concerts in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
as well as in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Members
- Dawid Bonk - Student at the Katowice Music AcademyUniversity of Music in KatowiceUniversity of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
, taught by professor Alina Gruszka. He is a laureat at national and international guitar competitions in KoszalinKoszalinKoszalin ; is the largest city of Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland. It is located 12 km south of the Baltic Sea coast. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
, GdańskGdanskGdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, TychyTychyTychy is a city in Silesia, Poland, approximately south of Katowice. Situated on the southern edge of the Upper Silesian industrial district, the city borders Katowice to the north, Mikołów to the west, Bieruń to the east and Kobiór to the south...
(PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), and VelbertVelbertVelbert is a town in the district of Mettmann, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Langenberg, a district of Velbert, is well known as the location of the Sender Langenberg transmitter site.-Geography:...
(GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
)
- Jan Kudełka - He has just finished the Musical Academy in KatowiceUniversity of Music in KatowiceUniversity of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
. He was a student of professor Alina Gruszka. He is a prize winner at the guitar competitions in Omis (CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
), VolosVolosVolos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
(GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), UzhhorodUzhhorodUzhhorod or Uzhgorod is a city located in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. It is the administrative center of the Zakarpattia Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Uzhhorodskyi Raion within the oblast...
(UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), MrzeżynoMrzezynoMrzeżyno is a village with a fishing seaport in Gryfice County. This is also a health resort with a lots of pensions, campsites and spa. It is located near the estuary of the Rega river. The village has a popular beach. Every year in July and August, Mrzeżyno is visited by many Polish and German...
, GdańskGdanskGdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
and CieszynCieszynCieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
(PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
).
- Franciszek Wieczorek - Teacher in KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
Secondary Music School, he is the group founder, leader and the father of the thought; also known as a publisher, organizer the musical life and an Artistic Director of the ŻoryZoryŻory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
International Guitar Festival, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
- Katarina Wieczorek - Teacher in Secondary Music School in KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
; together with her husband she co-manages the Artistic Agency Modran as Artistic Director of the ŻoryZoryŻory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
International Guitar Festival, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
- Szymon Pietrzak - Student of Dr Marek Nosal at the Musical Academy in KatowiceUniversity of Music in KatowiceUniversity of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
; laureate of the guitar competitions in ZabrzeZabrzeZabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million...
, ŻoryZoryŻory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
, TrzęsaczTrzesaczTrzęsacz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Rewal, within Gryfice County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It lies on the Baltic coast, approximately west of Rewal, north-west of Gryfice, and north of the regional capital Szczecin.Before 1945 the area was...
(PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) and StramberkŠtramberkŠtramberk is a small town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, next to Kopřivnice. It lies on the slope of a forested lime hill, dominated by the Trúba castle tower...
(Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
).
- Piotr Mesjasz - Student of Professor Alina Gruszka at the Katowice Music AcademyUniversity of Music in KatowiceUniversity of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
; laureate of guitar competitions in ŻoryZoryŻory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
and SanokSanokSanok is a town in south-eastern Poland with 39,110 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. It's the capital of Sanok County in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Previously, it was in the Krosno Voivodeship and in the Ruthenian Voivodeship , which was part of the Lesser Poland province...
(PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
).
- Wojciech Rysiecki - Student of Franciszek Wieczorek in Secondary Music School in KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
; laureate of the guitar concourses in PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(Krynica, ŻoryZoryŻory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
, TrzęsaczTrzesaczTrzęsacz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Rewal, within Gryfice County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It lies on the Baltic coast, approximately west of Rewal, north-west of Gryfice, and north of the regional capital Szczecin.Before 1945 the area was...
, Warszawa) and abroad (Dolny KubinDolný KubínDolný Kubín is a town in northern Slovakia in the Žilina Region. It is the historical capital of the Orava region.-Geography:Dolný Kubín lies at an altitude of above sea level and covers an area of ....
(Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
))
- Krzysztof Kołodziej - A student of Dr Michal Nagy at the Academy of Music in CracowAcademy of Music in KrakówThe Academy of Music in Kraków is a conservatory located in downtown Kraków, Poland.-History:The Academy, until 1945 as a conservatory under the name Cracow Conservatory or Conservatory of the Music Society, was founded in 1888 by the eminent Polish composer Władysław Żeleński thanks to artistic...
; prize winner at the festivals in BarlettaBarlettaBarletta is a city and comune located in the north of Apulia in south eastern Italy. Its current population is 94,140.It is famous for the Colossus of Barletta, a bronze statue, representing a Roman Emperor...
(ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), StramberkŠtramberkŠtramberk is a small town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, next to Kopřivnice. It lies on the slope of a forested lime hill, dominated by the Trúba castle tower...
(Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
), UzhhorodUzhhorodUzhhorod or Uzhgorod is a city located in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. It is the administrative center of the Zakarpattia Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Uzhhorodskyi Raion within the oblast...
(UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), SanokSanokSanok is a town in south-eastern Poland with 39,110 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. It's the capital of Sanok County in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Previously, it was in the Krosno Voivodeship and in the Ruthenian Voivodeship , which was part of the Lesser Poland province...
, KrasiczynKrasiczynKrasiczyn is a village in Przemyśl County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Krasiczyn. The village has a population of 440...
, TrzęsaczTrzesaczTrzęsacz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Rewal, within Gryfice County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It lies on the Baltic coast, approximately west of Rewal, north-west of Gryfice, and north of the regional capital Szczecin.Before 1945 the area was...
, ZabrzeZabrzeZabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million...
, KoninKoninKonin is a city in central Poland.Konin may also refer to:*Emperor Kōnin , emperor of Japan who reigned 770–781**Kōnin , a Japanese era name for the years 810–824...
and ŻoryZoryŻory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
(PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
).
Repertoire
There are very few pieces written originally for the octet. Because of this, Franciszek Wieczorek had to carry out the transcription of many beautiful pearls for the orchestra music.The groups core repertoire consists of works by J.S. Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, W.A. Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, P.I. Tchaikovsky, E. Grieg, M. Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
, J. Turina
Joaquín Turina
Joaquín Turina was a Spanish composer of classical music.-Biography:Turina was born in Seville but his origins were in northern Italy . He studied in Seville as well as in Madrid...
, G. Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, A. Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian
Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was a prominent Soviet composer. Khachaturian's works were often influenced by classical Russian music and Armenian folk music...
, L. Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, L. Brouwer
Leo Brouwer
Juan Leovigildo Brouwer Mezquida is a Cuban composer, conductor and guitarist. He is the grandson of Cuban composer Ernestina Lecuona Casado.-Biography:...
, R. Dyens
Roland Dyens
Roland Dyens is a French classical guitarist, composer, and arranger.Dyens studied guitar with the Spanish classical guitarist Alberto Ponce and analysis with Désiré Dondeyne. He has won several prizes in competitions for classical guitar performance as well as for composition...
and many others.
Discography
- Silesian Guitar Octet - Oct.Opus (2008)
- Silesian Guitar Octet - The XXth Century (2011)