Saulius Sondeckis
conductor
Saulius Sondeckis (1928-2016) graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in 1952 and studied conducting with Igor Markevich. His conducting career began with the student orchestra of the Chiurlionis School of Arts in 1955; he joined the teaching staff of the Lithuanian Academy in 1959, becoming elevated to the rank of Professor in 1966.
In 1960 Sondeckis founded the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and served as its principal conductor and artistic director until 2004. He also worked with many other orchestras and from 2005 was leader of the Lithuanian Baltic Chamber Orchestra. He is one the most decorated musicians in Lithuania’s history, becoming ‘People’s Artist of the USSR’ in 1980 and winner of the Lithuania National Award in 1999.
