Darko Hajsek (born 22 September 1959) is a Croatian composer. He composed (and by itself orchestrated) a respectable opus of more than 650 musical works, concert and musical-stage forms, ranging from small, instrumental and chamber shape to big orchestral symphonic works and ten large music and music-theatrical works of contemporary forms and synthesis involving opera, musical theatre and ballet, stage music and other musical forms.
His music has been performed in productions of companies such as Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, NT Varaždin, Croatian National Theatre in Split, Croatian National Theatre in Osijek, Gavella Drama Theatre, Zagreb Youth Theatre, Zagreb Theatre Komedija, City Theater Žar Ptica, Satirical Theatre Kerempuh Zagreb, Cankarjev Dom-Ljubljana, Maribor Slovene National Theatre, then Croatian Radiotelevision, Orpheus, Suzy, Zagreb Film, Maxima-movie, Inter-movie, Positive film, with numerous performances in Croatia and in a number of European and non-European countries.
Early life
Since the beginning of his involvement with music of classical foundation Hajsek showed tendencies towards a broader spectrum of musical expressions and has developed the ability to express a full range of musical styles that are used in his creative work, sometimes as musical lexicon in pure form and sometimes as elements of peculiar authorial synthesis and recognizable composer's "touch". His interest in music, musical talent and composer's impulse he has expressed at an early age, starting to intensively compose in the seventies, at 15 years of age writing his first elements of symphony. He began composing in adolescence, from the beginning of his career in 1989, working exclusively as a composer, with 27 years of professional compositional work behind his name.
Career
Early career
Since the middle of the 70's Hajsek began developing his composing style, which included elements of classical, electrophonic and 'avant-garde' music, antic musical tradition with elements of jazz and archaic music. In the 80's he turns more towards orchestral music and finds inspiration in the works of great composers of the 20th century such as Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Alberto Ginastera and Aaron Copland, but also in the avant-garde and electronic music of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Schaeffer, Edgard Varèse, La Monte Young, Terry Riley and John Chowning, Krzysztof Penderecki, György Ligeti and John Cage and composing works on the basis of such inspiration, while on the other hand being inspired by alternative rock and progressive music (Keith Emerson) and the works of New York music and art scene, with artists like John Cale, Andy Warhol and Brian Eno, and authors like Tom Waits and Nick Cave.
1980s
Hajsek studied classical composition, polyphony, harmony and counterpoint at the Academy of Music, University of Zagreb, specializing on seminars of contemporary and electrophonic music. From that time dates the author's collaboration with big American avant-garde composer Alvin Lucier, with following compositions standing out in particular: "Sounds from Lost in Space" for chamber orchestra and electronics and "2 Loud Sounds 4 4 Steel Strings" for double string orchestra, "Passacaglia" for big orchestra, "Alpine Symphony" and the ballet "Mishima".
1990s
In the 90's Hajsek worked intensively on new musical works and develops his own composing and performing techniques, while experimenting with new forms, which resulted in a particularly interesting work "The sound of the earth" for chamber orchestra, electronics and instruments, created as works of art by the most famous visual artists which has caused great interest and positive reactions in Croatia and abroad, presented by leading Swiss magazine for culture, one of the most influential in the world.
Modern rock
Hajsek composed, arranged and played for many famous Croatian and Bosnian rock bands and their members (Bijelo Dugme, Divlje Jagode, Drugi način, Vještice, Peti Element). He also collaborated with many renowned jazz musicians (Csaba Deseo, Domagoj Ralašić, Miro Kadoić). One of his projects in early 2000s was Van Hajsek Orchestra, a group whose music is based on combination of elements of classical, ethno, popular, commercial and rock music, thus having nothing in common with the usual gig production and performance.