Saulius Sondeckis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saulius Sondeckis
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 11 October 1928 Šiauliai, Lithuania |
| Died | 3 February 2016 (aged 87) Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Occupation | Conductor, violinist, professor |
| Nationality | Lithuanian, USSR |
| Genre | Classical music |
Saulius Sondeckis (born October 11, 1928 – died February 3, 2016) was a famous Lithuanian musician. He was a talented violinist, a conductor, and a professor. He also led many orchestras. In 1960, he started the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra. He was its main leader and conductor until 2004.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Saulius Sondeckis was born in Šiauliai, Lithuania, in 1928. He loved music from a young age. He studied hard to become a musician.
He went to the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. This school is in Vilnius. He finished his studies as a violinist in 1952. His teacher was Alexander Livontas. Later, he also learned how to be a conductor. He studied with Igor Markevich.
A Career in Music
Sondeckis started teaching music in 1955. He taught at the Student Orchestra of the National M.K. Čiurlionis School of Art. In 1959, he became a teacher at the Lithuanian Academy. He became a full professor there in 1976.
Founding the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra
A very important part of his career was in 1960. He founded the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra. This orchestra played its first concert on April 30, 1960. Sondeckis was the main leader of this orchestra. He was its artistic director and conductor. He led this orchestra for many years, until 2004.
Leading Other Orchestras
Saulius Sondeckis also led other famous orchestras. From 1989, he led the St. Petersburg State Hermitage Orchestra in Russia. Later, from 2005, he led the Lithuanian Baltic Chamber Orchestra. He conducted orchestras in many different countries. He was a respected member of the Lithuanian Musicians' Union.
Awards and Honors
Sondeckis received many awards for his work. He was one of the most honored musicians in Lithuania. Some of his awards include:
- People's Artist of the USSR (1980)
- A Laureate of the USSR State Award (1987)
- Winner of the Lithuania National Award (1999)
He was also a judge in big international music contests. These included the Mozart competition in Salzburg. He judged the Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow. He was also part of the Herbert von Karajan Foundation in Berlin.
Legacy and Passing
In 2010, a music school in Šiauliai was named after him. It became the Šiauliai Saulius Sondeckis Conservatory. Later, it was known as the Šiauliai Saulius Sondeckis School of Arts. Today, it is the Šiauliai Saulius Sondeckis Gymnasium of Arts.
Saulius Sondeckis passed away on February 3, 2016. He died in Vilnius, Lithuania. He left behind a great legacy in classical music.
