Rita Mačiliūnaitė

Rita Mačiliūnaitė is a composer, Doctor of Arts, and lecturer.
In 2010, she completed her Master’s degree in Composition at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (course supervisors Prof. O. Balakauskas and Prof. R. Mažulis). In 2017, she defended her doctoral degree in the arts at the same institution (dissertation topic: “Methods of Composing Musical Narration in Postdramatic Theatre”). During her studies, she undertook internships in the Netherlands, Poland, Latvia, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

From 2011 to 2013, she worked as a music teacher at the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts. From 2014 to 2016, she taught at the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences; from 2023 to 2025, at Vilnius College of Design; and since 2022, she has been working at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. From 2014 to 2024, she worked as a vocal pedagogue, and since 2025, she has been a music and opera curator at the Old Theatre of Vilnius.

In both formal and non-formal education, she delivers lectures, creative workshops, seminars, and masterclasses for students and teachers of various ages and levels of experience.

She has received the “Golden Stage Cross” awards: in 2014 for music for the performances “59’ Online”, “W(o)men”, and “Eugene Onegin”; in 2015 for the performance “The Sandman”; and in 2017 for music for the performances “Seven Fridays of the Pharisee Saul” and “Code: HAMLET”.

The composer’s theatre music has been awarded four “Golden Stage Crosses”:

• 2017 – for music for the performances “Code: HAMLET” and “Seven Fridays of the Pharisee Saul”;
• 2017 – award to the creative team of the performance “Code: HAMLET” (Olga Lapina, Rita Mačiliūnaitė, Renata Valčik, Jonas Tertelis);
• 2015 – award to the creative team of the performance “The Sandman” (Gintarė Radvilavičiūtė, Rita Mačiliūnaitė, Renata Valčik, Sigita Mikalauskaitė);
• 2014 – for music for the performances “Eugene Onegin”, “W(o)men”, and “59’ Online”.

Other awards and nominations:

• 2024 – Mačiliūnaitė’s music for the performance “The Lion and the Bird” (dir. K. Csato) was nominated for the “Golden Stage Cross” in the Composer of the Year category.
• 2024 – the creative team of “The Lion and the Bird” received the “Fortūna” award at the Kaunas Theatre Awards.
• 2023 – Mačiliūnaitė’s music for the performance “The Choice” (dir. G. Radvilavičiūtė) was nominated for the “Golden Stage Cross” in the music category.
• 2023 – the creative team of “The Choice” (G. Radvilavičiūtė, V. Rimkaitė, R. Mačiliūnaitė, S. Mikalauskaitė, J. Skuratova, V. Vilutis) was nominated for the “Golden Stage Cross” in the puppetry and object theatre category.
• 2021 – the book with soundtrack “The Lifeline of Water” (Justas Tertelis, Elena Maya, Rita Mačiliūnaitė) was nominated in the “Best Book for Children and Young Adults of the Year” awards.
• 2021 – the same book was also nominated in the “Klaipėda Book 2020” awards.
• 2020 – “Best Musical Works of 2019” awards: prize for the dance opera “Eternity and One Day” (stage works category).
• 2019 – the creative team of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (Rita Mačiliūnaitė, Gintarė Radvilavičiūtė, Renata Valčik, Sigita Mikalauskaitė, Gabrielė Labanauskaitė) was nominated for the “Golden Stage Cross” in the puppetry and object theatre category.
• 2018 – the opera “To the Lighthouse” was nominated for the “Golden Stage Cross” in the Best Opera/Ballet Music category.
• 2018 – the “Gratitude Mask” award for the creative team of the opera “To the Lighthouse” (Rita Mačiliūnaitė, Loreta Vaskova, Gabrielė Labanauskaitė, Vytautas Valys).
• 2015 – “King Lear” was recognized as the best performance at the Rokiškis festival “Vaidiname žemdirbiams”.
• 2008 – the opera “Dviskaita” was recognized as Work of the Year in the Lithuanian Composers’ Union awards (together with the independent creative group “Operomanija”).
• 2007 – the choral work “Whisper of Meadows” was recognized as the best secular work in the “Vox Juventutis” competition.

She has received a scholarship from the Research Council of Lithuania for academic achievements. She actively participates in various festivals and composes music for theatre performances and performances. The artist has created chamber and orchestral works, operas, and installations.