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Jurgis Karnavičius (Lithuania)

Jurgis Karnavičius was born in Vilnius, Lithuania into a well-known family of musicians. In 1980 he graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music with a speciality in piano with prof.J.Karnavičius, his father. In 1980-83 he improved in Moscow P. Tchaikovsky Conservatoire with prof. L.Naumov.

In 1978 J. Karnavičius was awarded the 1st prize at the International M. K. Čiurlionis Piano Competition in Vilnius (Lithuania). He also was awarded honour diplomas at R. Schumann Piano Competition in Zwickau (Germany, 1981) and L. van Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna (Austria, 1989). In 1990 pianist won the 1st prize in the Young Keyboard Artists Association Competition in Oberlin (USA), in 1991 – 4th prize in the Mavi Marcoz Piano Competition in Saint Vincent (Italy).

Jurgis Karnavičius plays solo and with different orchestras, he is the permanent concert partner of his wife, opera singer Sigutė Stonytė. He has been actively collaborating with several chamber ensembles as well as with the contemporary music ensemble Gaida. Pianist’s repertory ranges from Haydn to Messiaen, with particular emphasis on the piano works of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms and French composers. J. Karnavičius has given concerts in many European countries, USA, Canada and Korea.

Jurgis Karnavičius has been teaching since 1981 at the Lithuanian Academy of Music in Vilnius, where he was appointed full professor of piano in 2004. In 2011 he was appointed Head of the Piano department. He is often giving master classes in Lithuania and abroad, and participating in various international competitions as a jury member.