As a musician, do you express yourself only through music or also through lyrics?
Primarily through music. Although for one of my original songs, I also wrote the lyrics, and I enjoyed it. I see it as part of the creative process. But I perceive harmony and melody more. Words are sometimes secondary for me personally.
Is it nice for you to be your own boss, a one-person team? You compose, produce, and perform.
I can't do it any other way because I don't have the budget (laughs). It would be nice to have a big team like those world stars do. Often, even when they compose, they are in the studio with other songwriters and producers, simply working in a team. Or the process is divided so that they come up with the creative idea and then give it to someone else for finishing or for mixdown and mastering. Nevertheless, I am also trying to delegate some things within my possibilities.
When you open a new year, do you think about where you want to take your music?
I try to, but it somehow develops and crystallizes differently depending on what opportunities come or don’t come. I try to think about it. I am also somewhat more bohemian in that regard. It just comes, and I keep trying to step into it. But I don't have any specific idea of what will happen that year.
So, are you a Yes-man? An offer comes, and you say yes?
No, offers keep coming. Until I can't manage them anymore. In this regard, it's good.
And when those offers come, what kind of team would you like to be a part of? What label would you like to join?
I have my favorite labels that attract me; I like what they do and how they do it. Especially in America, for example, Chicago Repopulate Mars, South Saturn, or Experts Only by John Summit. That would really appeal to me. However, that's a high goal. Right now, I am not that active in songwriting because working in the hospital takes up a lot of time.
This year, I managed to release only one single "Temgate" under my alter ego John Sarkander with Víťa – VIIITO. But!? I already have a social media manager, and now a completely new thing. I am under RedHead Music (a music label), and I also have my booking manager. I hope this will free my hands for creativity and relieve me of organizational worries.
You are also associated with Red Bull, right?
To a certain extent, yes. We started our collaboration in 2017 when I worked as their OL (opinion leader). They booked me for events where it suited them, and we did interesting projects together even during COVID. We drove their car with speakers around housing estates and held short concerts. Recently, there has been really little of that, and it's only for one-off events. The last bigger project I was invited to play at was Red Bull HomeRun – ski and snowboard races, after which there was always a proper après-ski party.
You are often on the road, and you say you don't have much time for your own creation, that you are living off what you did before. When was that before? When did the very first beginning come?
When we talk about songwriting, I released my first debut single in 2020. That was also the year I finished medical school, but I hadn't started working in the hospital yet, so I could fully devote myself to production and performing. From 2020 to the end of 2022 was probably my most active period. I wasn't employed full-time anywhere, and I could really focus on music; I traveled a lot and released a lot. In the last year, I released four singles and some video sets, and I had a great collaboration with Jäger (an alcohol producer), who helped me a lot with that.
Then I started working in the hospital, and the pace of songwriting slowed down. Now, the main focus of my musical activity is performing. Creative activity is more in the second place. I hope this will change with management.
You studied at two universities at the same time. Is that right?
Yes, a university and a higher vocational school.
You were always under academic pressure. For which group were you the oddball, and for which the cool guy who is doing two universities?
(laughs) Well, a bit of both, probably at both schools. I studied at a conservatory, which is higher vocational education, but I did it part-time, only every Friday. Alongside that, I studied medicine at the Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University. In both environments, it had some impact. In medicine, they saw that I was managing something extra, that I was flexible and a bit bohemian due to my musical focus.
Of course, there were also people who told me that I couldn't do both and that I had to choose one and do it properly. It was similar at the conservatory, where I studied classical music. The die-hard teachers would prefer us to spend 8 hours a day with the instrument and give it our all. Just the fact that I studied part-time was a concession.
Fortunately, I had a great teacher who supported me and yet was not lenient. When I didn't know something, he told me straight out and didn't sugarcoat it. He was very direct; that's exactly what I needed. I appreciated that a lot; he motivated me nicely.
Are you a child of fortune and at the same time a person who has truly earned everything?
I think so. I have some talent, and at the same time, I am disciplined and strong.
Did you have that discipline from the beginning? Or were you led to it by your parents or perhaps your sister, whom you often mention as an inspiration in many things? Who did you want to be as a child?
It changed. I was interested in music, medicine, architecture… and as a child, I also wanted to be a submariner. My sister, who is four years older than me, inspired me a lot. Both on the musical path. When I was six, I attended her concert, and at the end, a saxophone quartet played. That was the moment I decided I wanted to play the saxophone. She also influenced me in the field of medicine.
She studied medicine in Hradec Králové, and that definitely had an impact on me. It made sense to me that it could be my profession. I even attended the same high school that my dad also went to.
Doctor and music. We know this from hospital series where doctors play music in the operating room. What do you play?
(laughs) It depends on the person. I don't go into the operating rooms as a psychiatrist; I focus more on verbal expression. But, for example, during electroconvulsive therapy, I have experienced music being played. I thought that was nice!
In all fields that work with the soul, it is said, "create a pleasant atmosphere" with light, scents, sounds… stimulate all the senses that we learned about in biology, and the others that humans perceive. How do you do it?
That would be great. But in the hustle and bustle of the hospital, there often isn't space for that. It would need to be prioritized. To say, for example, "Hey, let's play some background music during ECT." It could definitely work. But in the hospital, there is a lot of work, and the pace is fast, so there's no time for that.
When you have your private practice, will it also include music?
(laughs) Definitely.
When you are on stage and you play your music for people, can you tell when the vibe is good and when there is some disharmony that doesn't belong to the music? You usually play late at night when people are already a bit tipsy or have some other stimulants; how do you perceive it?
I definitely register that. The vibe, the atmosphere of the audience can be quite different. It’s very noticeable when it clicks. There are many factors with what people bring. Whether they know what they're going for, or if they just want to get drunk, or if they're going for the music.
And of course, also what addictive substances they have taken. I try to connect with people and play in a way that creates some kind of symbiosis. On the other hand, I already have my musical boundaries that I stick to. I don't do anything to please people. It's noticeable when the musical dramaturgy doesn't align with what I want to present. And vice versa. Sometimes great energy arises that boosts me. It’s a driving force for further functioning.
Sometimes someone tells me how I can manage and juggle both at the same time. And those moments when I play a great show are amazing. Even though I am tired and don’t get as much sleep as I would like, the energy and atmosphere between me and the audience are incredibly strong and energizing. We give it to each other.
You mostly perform as a soloist. Can you gauge the audience and play a prepared playlist, or do you prefer a certain degree of improvisation?
Ideally, I would improvise more. But because I play the saxophone, I have less time to choose what I will play next, so I always prepare for the performance. I have many different playlists, and when I find out at an event that the audience wants something else, I jump to another playlist. This creates a certain degree of improvisation. It’s better to have it prepared in advance; after all, it’s a fusion with the instrument.
Do you gauge the people in the audience and focus on someone specific during the evening?
Not really. But sometimes I notice people who are shining. At first glance, you can see that they are not enjoying it. There aren’t many of them, but sometimes someone stands out. You can really see that they just wandered in, thought it would be something completely different, or are having a bad day. Or everyone is having fun, and then there’s one person who is frowning at you, standing right in front and doing nothing. I tend to focus on that person jokingly, and sometimes that even boosts me for a bigger show.
Has that shining individual ever told you that they had a great time?
Yes, yes. That happens sometimes.
You perform as a DJ. Do people come up to you and say, "Play me a song of my choice."?
(laughs) I don't play requests much anymore. Actually, not at all.
You often ride a motorcycle. When you stop at a crosswalk, do you tap to the rhythm? Is there always some music playing in your head?
Just today, I arrived at work. At the crosswalk, sometimes yes. I would say I perceive the rhythm of the engine more. The vibrations excite me and calm me down.
I noticed that many musicians constantly drum their fingers on their thighs. Now tell me, when I see two people next to each other doing that, how can I tell which one is a musician and which one belongs to your practice?
(laughs) You can't tell. I do it often too. It can just be a sign that a person is pulsing with some music, a rhythm they want to express, or it can also be a sign of some nervousness, perhaps anxiety, hyperactivity. That can also be found there. For that, we would need a larger psychiatric examination.
I imagine your Friday. During the day you have your practice, then you pack up and drive two hours to a performance. Do you carry a patient’s case from the morning in your mind?
Not at all.
Can you switch off? How do you manage to disconnect and switch between medical practice and music? Many people today cannot leave situations at the door.
I don’t know how it actually happens. It just does. I leave work and leave it there. Maybe it helps that we have a healthy collective here; every week there’s some intervention where we can talk about what each person has, what patient they have. There’s space for some ventilation with colleagues. So I don’t take it home. Or very rarely. And maybe it’s also because as soon as I step out of that practice, I start working and thinking about music. I switch to that mode. It’s not just work; it’s also passion.
Can it be learned?
Definitely.
Should it be a subject in school? What would it be called?
Yes, it should. Switching attention? Mindfulness?
Children and young people are often trapped by social media and compare themselves to each other. What do you think is missing in their education?
A lot of things. I’ll take it from a psychiatric perspective. It would be psychohygiene, the science of mental health. Mindfulness. Children should learn how to manage stress and anxiety in a healthy way, as well as the basics of sleep hygiene.
You mentioned sleep last. How much do you get?
It’s not as bad as many people think. I usually get at least 6 hours. I need more sleep. To feel really well-rested, ideally 8-9 hours. Which is quite a lot, and I usually sleep around 6-7 hours. Less occasionally. And when I sleep less, I try to catch up. The bad part is during night shifts; that's when sleep is interrupted, especially when some night emergencies come up. But I’m more careful with myself now. I used to have more spikes. I would drive at 4 in the morning, and now I try to avoid that. When I have a gig at night, I also sleep there.
Besides being a psychiatrist and musician, you are also involved in non-profit projects. Which organizations do you support?
I support "Nevypusť duši" (Don't Let Go of Your Soul) and "Nové Háro" (New Hair). I am connected with both in that I try to raise money for them in various charitable ways.
Nové Háro is a non-profit organization that makes wigs for children with cancer. We are connected with them through the "Carpe Diem" project, a series of events with electronic music and a charitable impact, along with a rich accompanying program. The event always takes place at Hněvín Castle, a beautiful location. Over the last 4 years, we have raised a total of 1 million crowns for Nové Háro. The next edition will take place on May 30, 2026, again at Hněvín Castle. The second organization, Nevypusť duši, focuses on mental health. Specifically on children and adolescents. As a psychiatrist, I am very close to this area. They organize lectures and workshops in schools and have a great website and a section for parents on how to conduct supportive conversations with children. The proceeds from one Prague edition of Carpe Diem were donated to them, and I secured another contribution through my merch, where the proceeds from sales went directly to them.
Are you connected with these two organizations, or do you have something else in your triad?
It could also be said that I am a patron of the foundation "Spolu na draka" (Together on the Dragon); this foundation helps children with spinal muscular atrophy. It was founded by family friends for whom I have performed several times. They organize a beautiful charity gala evening "Na draka" (On the Dragon) at the Municipal House.
We talked about foundations, and it brought me back to the missing subject in schools. We have many educations: physical, musical, practical… but mental education is lacking. Love for oneself should definitely be there; we both agree on that.
I would definitely be for it. Because the trend is unfortunately such. More and more young people, children, and teenagers are struggling with some anxieties, depressive issues, self-harm, and suicidal behavior, with increasing stress and social isolation. Eating disorders. There are many factors, and social media certainly has its share. At the same time, as psychiatry becomes more destigmatized, as more is talked about it, and it becomes more accessible, some percentage of children and people take it as a trend. They can integrate into some groups through it and find their identity.
AI (artificial intelligence) as an instant therapist. A person comes to your office who has self-diagnosed with its help and just wants you to prescribe medication. What is your reaction to this connection?
AI can be a good first aid, some form of the most accessible contact. In moments when I don’t have an available therapist. It’s definitely necessary to take it with a grain of salt and a certain perspective. It also depends on what form of AI a person uses and how they prompt it. Chat GPT has a tendency to please, to cater to the user, so it modifies the answers based on what it thinks they want to hear. Many people don’t know how to prompt correctly, how to set the role, the context of the situation. I repeat, let’s keep that distance. Because the advice from chat GPT may not be relevant, and many users tend to believe that what it tells them is the truth. It does not replace face-to-face contact.
How does a psychiatrist find calm?
Everyone seeks calm differently. I find it in music, in the sauna, resting with my closest ones, and in movement. Music accompanies me everywhere; even in the sauna, there is some background music playing. I tend to perceive the world a lot from that audio experience perspective.
What musical style would describe your day?
It depends. I can't say one genre. Sometimes it's chill lofi beats, soul, funk, other times it's jazz, house music. Tech house, progressive house.
What is your guaranteed pick-me-up? You have a long day ahead after a short night. What are your mornings like? Do you have breakfast?
I don't like getting up early. I'm a night person. I really don't like mornings. Or rather, I like long mornings when I can start at around ten. Which almost never happens. Sometimes it happens that I go to work feeling disgusted by the morning, and then I meet colleagues and the people here, have a coffee, and it's good. I really can't stand mornings. I don’t have breakfast; I don’t have time for it. I have a protein shake. But when we manage to have breakfast with colleagues at the café in the morning, it makes for a completely different day. I should focus on that. Because when it happens, it’s great.
Your sister has inspired you to take big steps. You are a musician, a doctor, so why not learn to have breakfast?
My sister definitely has breakfast. For me, it’s more of a utopia, but I will focus on it.
Which hemisphere do you use more often? The left or the right?
Probably the right, even though I am also quite structured and analytical.
You are a renaissance person.
(laughs) Well, I don't know. But that's how I was labeled by the vice-dean at the Third Faculty of Medicine, Dr. David Marx.
How do people most often greet you?
Saxo.
Thanks, Saxo, for the well-tuned face-to-face interview.
Let’s mix our life playlist to suit us.
