Silesian Guitar Octet

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

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 was composed of professors, graduates and students of Musical Academy in Katowice, Poland.

Silesian Guitar Octet has been recorded for BBC WORLDS Television and Polish Radio.

Silesian Guitar Octet has appeared in numerous concerts in Poland as well as in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden and the UK.

Members

*Tomasz Spaliński - Doctor of Arts in the Musical Institute of Silesian University in Cieszyn.Laureate from the guitar concourses in Lodz and Tychy; in 1992/93 obtained the scholarship from the Spanish government.

*Jacek Płosa - Teacher in Sosnowiec Music School; graduated from the Musical Academy in Katowice from the guitar classes of assistant Franciszek Wieczorek; laureate of the guitar concourses in Poland (Cieszyn, Koszalin, Krynica, Kielce).

*Franciszek Wieczorek - Teacher in Katowice 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 Żory International Guitar Festival, Poland.

*Katarina Wieczorek - Teacher in Secondary Music School in Katowice; together with her husband she co-manages the Artistic Agency Modran as Artistic Director of the Żory International Guitar Festival, Poland.

*Mariusz Bury - Teacher in Music School in Tychy; graduated from the Musical Academy in Katowice under Professor Wanda Palacz; laureate of the Sanok guitar concourse in Poland.

*Jan Kudełka - Student of Professor Alina Gruszka at the Katowice Music Academy; prize winner at the festivals in Volos (Greece), Uzhhorod (Ukraine), Mrzeżyno and Cieszyn (Poland).

*Piotr Kudełka - Teacher at Katowice Music School; graduated from Professor Alina Gruszka at the Musical Academy in Katowice; laureate of the guitar concourses in Poland (Sanok, Gdańsk, Krynica and Cieszyn).

*Krzysztof Kołodziej - A student of Dr Michael Nagy at the Academy of Music in Cracow; prize winner at the festivals in Stramberk (Czech Republic), Uzhhorod (Ukraine), Sanok and Żory (Poland).

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, W.A. Mozart, P.I. Tchaikovsky, E. Grieg, M. Ravel, J. Turina, A. Khachaturian, L. Bernstein, L. Brouwer and many others.

Discography

* Silesian Guitar Octet - Oct.Opus (2008)

External links

* [http://www.guitaroctet.eu The Silesian Guitar Octet Official Website]