Dariusz Sojka
Born: 10 January 1964 r. in Żory.
In the beginning he lived in Osiny, then in Rybnik and currently he lives in Osiny again.
Plays: accordion, cittern, harmonica, keyboard instruments, saxophone, bodhran, flute, tin whistles, uilleann pipes and EWI.
Family: wife Aleksandra (teacher), son Jakub, daughter Katarzyna.
Hobby: music in general (playing, listening, processing the music on the computer), computer.
Life success: considers himself as “the God’s chosen one” for being able to link his privet life with playing the Irish music.
Life failure: he’s uncertain if he cannot or doesn’t want to say it.
Role model: doesn’t have one because he never needed one.
When he was 7 his priest started with Darek’s his musical education – he taught himself how to play the accordion. From the III grade of the primary school to I grade of the Vocational school he learnt how to the piano in music group in Żory. While in high-school, being in love with jazz music he started to learn to play the saxophone in Musical School i Rybnnik on the II level. During that period he set up a formation together with Zbigniew Seyda which was devoted to a sang poetry, called “Eryś Group”, which took part in many school and local competitions, receiving among others the I place in Regional Competitions of the sang poetry in Katowice. After graduation, continuing the activity of “Eryś Group” turned out to be a right decision, and the numerous successes kept proving that. In 1986 they did their first radio recording for the Polish Radio with Maciej Szczawiński as the editor. Simultaneously he began to create for the “Miondze” formation his first attempts at the Irish music. However, the upcoming “SARI ’87” festival in Żory gave the opportunity to add to the program of the “Eryś Group” something more of the Celtic atmosphere which soon became a brand new formation: the “Carrantuohill”. While playing for the “Carrantuohill” he cooperated also with Tomasz Szwed and his band. However, when the moment of making a choice came, he made it without hesitation. The Irish music was stronger and the years of cooperating with Tomasz Szwed gave Dariusz some experience with performing. His numerous musical interests are reflected in his artistic image. It’s not only the Irish music with its bagpipes masters (Liam O’Flynn, Davy Spillane), but the jazz, classical and popular music are broadening his horizons. Eclectism – is the word that fits best to describe his instrumental and orchestration abilities. His innate musical talent allows him to quickly master playing on various instruments, such as cittern, grand piano, saxophone, flutes, accordion, bodhran and bagpipes, which in all makes it possible for him to freely realize his countless musical ideas. From the beginning of his musical activity he demonstrates a great musical intuition. He is the „spiritus movens” of the band and its informal musical leader who can inspire his band mates by his unrestricted choice of the instruments. It needs to be mentioned that in Carrantuohill, Darek is not only the multi-instrumentalist, orchestration expert but also the Master of the Ceremony who skillfully cooperates with the audience.