Hello Bartosz, so where ya from & where ya at, geographically speaking?
I was born in Poland and have studied in Vienna. Presently, I live in Göttingen. But this is just technically speaking, as I am there just approx. one week a month, the rest of the time I am traveling across the Europe and abroad, active as a musician, mostly as a member of the Apollon Musagete Quartet.

When did you first realise you were musical?
As a child, I have spent a lot of time building simple musical instruments. I have played them along with already existing ones. O played from hearing every known and rememberd songs. And so my mother thought it would be good to start a regular lessons.

What instruments do you play, & which do you consider as your forte?
I am 33 now and have been playing the violin already 26 years so it is more than enough time to consider violin and everything around as my main interest. I played also a piano quite good and a electric guitar for a while in the past, but it is the violin which was always my primary focus.

Can you tell us about the Apollon Musagete Quartet?
We are four Poles, we have formed our group in Vienna and after winning one of the most prestigious music competition in Munich are now traveling extensively throughout the Europe, Asia and America to share our musical ideas with a public worldwide.

How do you choose the numbers for your repertoire?
As a string players, we are extremely lucky to have an extraordinary repertoire counting of never ending masterpieces. There are always periods of time when you have particularly strong interests to specified styles which are changing with time to another areas. This keeps freshness in your mind and also allows you to approach different types of music always with a background and experience of a music played before. There is always a private list in your head of works you would like to play in the nearest future. As our interests are rather vast, there is always polish and slavic music at our music stands accompanied with strong classical and romantic core and a modern music.

You have played all across the globe, which have been your top three performances?
I would name Carnegie Hall in New York, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the tour with Tori Amos in Europe and USA, it was quite new and exciting experience.

What does Bartosz Zachlod like to do when he’s not being musical?
I like to read. Especially, when I can focus on it more than just a short while, so that I can really get into what I am reading. My second passion are instruments. I have a small collection of instruments and bows. I made also a violin maker course once in Munich which gave me some basics that I now can spread and practise on. It was always my big curiosity how the violin and it’s part are made and how can they influence the sound of the violin.

What is it about performing live that makes you tick?
That it is not 100% predictable what will exactly happen during the performance. You have of course everything planned, but you also react to what is being developed. You are able to reach the forces that are not to achieve while you are practising at home. It is because you know that it is this very moment when you stand at the stage to communicate with a public.

Can you tell us about your Edinburgh performances : where & when & what?
We will perform at Queen’s Hall on Tuesday 8th of August 2017… The program will include works of Puccini – Crisantemi, Mozart -String Quartet in C K465 ‘Dissonance’ and Grieg- String Quartet in G minor

What will Bartosz Zachlod be doing for the rest of 2017?
I have still many festivals ahead, also recitals, solo performances with orchestras and a CD recording. So the schedule is, as usual, quite busy. In my private life, I will be a father for the second time and I am looking very much forward to this small revolution at home also.