arachnids - Jazz Composer

arachnids Resume

Marek Podstawek Drummer, percussionist, keyboardist, composer, author, arranger and teacher, Marek Podstawek is a class example of a musician devoted to mastering their instrument. A native of Poland, Marek began his professional career with the National Dance Music Association of Poland, playing and performing in various jazz and dance clubs around the country. Building a strong reputation as both a versatile and charismatic performer, it was not long before he began touring internationally for the next ten years, playing National and International Jazz Festivals in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Though a renowned and accomplished live performer, Marek sees the mastering of his instrument as a continual learning process. In accordance with this, he enrolled in one of this countries most prestigious music academies, the Victorian College of Arts were he gained a Bachelor of Music Performance. He found that his abilities as a drummer and percussionist were further strengthened through composing and arranging, not only for his own instruments, but also for larger ensembles. At the VCA his passion for improvisation was nurtured and creativity flourished as with further like-minded musicians he founded Arachnids, a multi-guise format that can include Marek performing as a solo artist or in an ensemble, performing original material around various venues in Melbourne to great acclaim. Believing touring and travelling to be an essential part of his professional development, Marek relocated to the United States and began a full time gig that many of us can only dream of, spending 1992 to 1993 on board Renaissance Cruise Lines, drumming with the ship band as he cruised the Caribbean Islands where playing with Latin musicians further expanded his repertoire. In the mid-nineties and with an exceptional tan, Marek returned to Melbourne with a mindset on further playing with other professionals as well as starting the next phase of his playing career, teaching. Beginning as a private drum and percussion teacher, word of his teaching abilities spread and he was soon invited to begin conducting workshops at various schools, both primary and secondary. This has since lead to him being in great demand as a workshop leader and instrumental music teacher within schools. Currently when not teaching at Northland Secondary College, a school that prides itself on catering to a culturally diverse student population, he can be found at various community arts centres and festivals conducting drum clinics for a wide variety of styles and levels. It has been through this and working with younger people that Marek has further developed his range, feeling as comfortable playing with a classical jazz quintet as he is with a heavy metal band or electronic artist. When he isn’t teaching, Marek still finds time to perform with some of Australia’s premier jazz and blues artists, being the drummer of choice for such acts as Tony Gould, Alex Pertout, Brian Brown, Shelly Scown, Peter Jones, Dutch Tildres as well as MBAS Performer of the Year Annie-Marie Sharry and the Hiphuggers. He has also been invited to play at such events as Monsalvat Jazz Festival, The Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival and The Big Blues Day Out. As a drummer, Marek totally embodies the notion of a musician as an entertainer. Thriving on audience feedback and participation, his dynamic sound is matched by his visual antics that constantly keep the audience in a state of both admiration and awe. His dedication towards his instrument has finally enabled him to realise his dream of using the drum as a painter would a brush, to be a sculptor of sound. Lets chek my Internet sides: Your Tube (drumuniv)for Videos & Motionbeatz (arachnids)for Audio - original compositions http://au.youtube.com/results?search_query=drumuniv http://www.motionbeatz.com/ViewUserProfile.aspx?userid=916 http://thejazznetwork.ning.com/profile/MarekPodstawek - For professional purpose:live music performance us a session drumer & percussionist in any styles with a bands , DJ , solo backtracks ,recording sessions,composing,arranging any kind of music in any styles and also moove sound tracks ,sequencing a full tracks and backing tracks, plus teaching instruments - drums,percuss.instr.piano,keyb.and music programs , electronic devices ,synth and also make a schools and comunity centers demonstration and drum clinic contact: Marek Podstawek (MP3) - Lalor,Melbourne Ph (03)94654545 or Mb.0402432918 Em: marekpodstawek@hotmail.com and marekpodstawek@yahoo.com.au ARACHNIDS Drumuniverse

Updated: May 14, 2009