Musique d'amitie ('friendship music') was composed for my friend and colleague, flautist Susan Royal, in 2005. My approach was, at times, to create a slightly "out-of-phase" relationship between the flute and guitar, both harmonically and rhythmically, and then eventually reconcile the music at key arrival points throughout the episodic journey.
The character of the piece ranges from the plaintive introduction, to imitative dialogues between the instruments, through dramatic fiery passages, and eventually to the tender adagio, which brings the music to an introspective close.
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"His style is widely varied, always extremely "guitaristic," and he speaks in a musical language that is spontaneous, imaginative, not repetitive, and embodies both the flair and conciseness that makes these miniatures an engrossing listening experience. They might be considered to provide for the guitar literature a body of works not unlike the delightful miniatures Federico Mompou contributed to the piano repertoire. An absolutely engrossing collection." - Buffalo News
James Piorkowski, born in 1956, studied composition with Anton Wolf at the State University College at Buffalo and with Donald Bohlen at the State University of N.Y. at Fredonia. He also has had composition classes with Aaron Copland, Jacob Druckman, Lucas Foss, Morton Feldman and Milton Babbitt.
As a composer, Piorkowski has written many pieces for guitar, both in solo and chamber settings. His writing style “evokes comparisons to jazz icons because of his refusal to adhere to idiomatic pigeon-holing." - Buffalo Magazine
His musical language, while described as erudite, remains accessible. “Piorkowski is a modernist, always experimenting as he moves easily from tonal to atonal formats.” - Fanfare
Sergio Assad/Editions Henry Lemoine, Clear Note and Mel Bay have published his compositions.
Piorkowski’s most recent recording, Sentient Music (Centaur Records), features seventeen original solo guitar compositions, including his Sentient Preludes. Critics have called the recording, "An absolutely engrossing collection." - Buffalo News "Charming", - American Record Guide While guitarist/composer Roland Dyens wrote, "Bravo for the CD! You do have your very own world, man – it’s great!"
For eighteen years, Piorkowski was a member of the world renowned Buffalo Guitar Quartet, which disbanded in 2000. With the BGQ, he performed in Europe, Russia, South and North America and the Caribbean. Guitar Player Magazine - wrote that the Buffalo Guitar Quartet was "one of the world's premiere classical guitar ensembles."
James Piorkowski is a professor at the Fredonia School of Music, State University of New York, serving as head of the guitar program since 1983. In 2006, Piorkowski was the recipient of both the President’s Award for Excellence and the Robert W. Kasling Award for Scholarly and Creative Excellence. He was the recipient of the University’s William T. Hagan Young Scholar/Artist Award in 1998.
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