Marko Danylovych Sokolovskyi (13 (25) April 1818-25 December 1883 (6 January 1884) was a Ukrainian virtuoso guitarist of Polish descent.
Biography.
Sokolovsky was born on 25 April 1818 in Nadrossia in Pohrebyshche (according to other sources, in the village of Spychyntsi, Pohrebyshche district), which at that time was part of the Kyiv province, Berdychiv district, into a noble Polish family.
His musical education began in early childhood. His parents encouraged their son to learn the violin and cello. However, he was fascinated by the Spanish six-string guitar, the sound of which he heard when a visiting group of Gypsies came to Pohrebyshche. Against the will of his parents, Marko bought the instrument, but they were disapproving of his son's hobby, as it compromised the noble family. Due to a conflict with his parents, Marko left home and joined the travelling gypsies, from whom he took his first significant guitar lessons. Then the musician mastered the art of playing the guitar on his own, improving his skills throughout his life.
Marko Sokolowski spent part of his early years in Vilnius (now Vilnius), where he studied for some time. He began his concert career in 1841 in Zhytomyr. Later he gave concerts in the halls of Vilnius, Kyiv, and Odesa. Sokolovsky's popularity in Moscow began with concerts in 1847. After that, he returned to his homeland and spent several years improving his guitar skills.
In the early 50s, the musician continued to perform successfully throughout Russia. He played with an orchestra, piano, and solo. His concerts were attended, among others, by the Saks Orchestra, a favourite of the Moscow audience, cellist Davidov, pianist Plotnikov, violinist Gerber, and singers Vladislavlev and Bozhanovsky. He played in the most prestigious concert halls in Europe - in Warsaw, London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, and the La Scala Theatre in Milan...
In 1859, in Vienna, M. Sokolowski was awarded a diploma in which he was named the first guitarist in Europe. For his poetic and inspired playing, the French called him the "Paganini of guitars", the Italians the "Bottegini of guitars", and the British the "King of guitarists".
Mark Danilovich's farewell public concert took place in St Petersburg (1877) in the hall of the Court Singing Chapel. His illness prevented him from performing again.
Sokolowski spent the last years of his life in Moscow and Vilnius. He died on 25 December 1883 in Vilnius. He was buried in the Rasu cemetery, not far from the grave of the Lithuanian composer and artist Čiurlionis.
