Musician. He received recognition as a Polish, Ukrainian and Russian virtuoso guitarist and composer. He was known as "The King of Guitarists." Born in the rural Ukraine, he was the son of Daniel and Jozefa Pierhowska Sokolowski. They were farmers but lost their property when he was a boy. From an early age he proved to have outstanding musical talent; he taught himself to play the guitar. He did not finish high school because of his family's financial difficulties. At the point, he started composing musical pieces on guitar and piano. For the next six years, he worked as a government official, but resigned to devoted himself to music. He had his first concert in 1848 and began to travel about becoming a favorite of the local audiences. In 1846, he won a guitar competition in Moscow, Russia. After that, he began to teach guitar in Moscow. He continued to play in the Ukraine and other cities in Russia including St. Petersburg. A newspaper article said he has about four thousand devoted fans. In 1856, he became ill and sought treatment in the spa town Gastein in Austria. During his stay in Austria, he purchased a harp-guitar with ten strings, with two griffins and a double bottom, which gave greater opportunities in concerts. This was the perfect instrument for him to play. After his performances in Vienna Conservatory on April 10, 1858 and later the Sperl Hall in Vienna, he played the lyre and won over Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria as one of his followers; he received rave reviews and was awarded the title of "The first guitarist of Europe". Along with sending monetary support, he wrote his mother about his success in a letter, "Now I can confidently say that Europe must be priority." Wanting a different instrument led him to invented his own 14-sting harp. From January to March of 1859, he had concerts in Warsaw, Poland; followed by concerts in a tour of Lithuania. During his stay in Vilnius, he befriended poet Wladyslaw Syrokomla, who wrote a poem in his honor; a few lines translated in English, "Who in the audience has a guitar, can muse, dream, cry makes, So who fulfill the miracle of the divine? Here is Marek Sokolowski!" From there his tour went on into Europe; first he played in Paris, then London, Belgium, Holland, and in autumn 1866 came to Germany. In 1864 while in London, his colleague Giulio Regondi recognized him as a most worthy successor and presented him with the manuscript score of his ten-piece of musical composition. In 1867, he played a concert with pianist noted Kazimierz Hoffman. After he returned home, he played a concert with violinist Gustav Friemanem. Since his vision was declining, he returned to the ten-string harp as he played the tunes easily from memory. Due to illness, he cancelled two concerts in Warsaw in 1869 returning home to Moscow; he played less and less. In 1876, after becoming very ill in Marijampole, he was then moved permanently to Vilnius, Lithuania where he a guest in friend's home. He died in poverty and obscurity. He is buried next to his friend, the poet Wladyslaw Syrokomla. In 1888 a monument was placed on his grave of his likeness carved by noted sculptor Boleslaw Jacuńskiego. Over years he had composed hundreds Polish songs, fantasies in operatic arias, songs written about the places he visited and patriotic songs. Today, in Poland, the national guitar competition bears his name, "Marek Sokołowski Guitar Competition". In the fall of 2010, the project of renovating the tomb of Marek Sokolowski was completed; it was sponsored by the famous artist Ryszard Rynkowski. Some sources give his day of birth as the 24th.