Rimvydas Žigaitis

The composer Rimvydas Žigaitis (1933-2010) has graduated from the Moscow P. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in 1957. In 1957-61 he taught at the Vilnius J. Tallat-Kelpša High School of Music and the Vilnius M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts, and was Head of the Department of Music Theory at the latter institution; in 1961-63 he taught at the Vilnius Pedagogical Institute, and was Head of the Department of Music Theory there in 1962-63. In 1969-2001 he taught at the Lithuanian State Conservatory (present Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre), Assistant Professor since 1979, Professor and Head of the Department of Music Composition in 1986-88, Professor of the Department of Music Composition since 1988.

In 1963-86 Žigaitis was the Artistic Director of the Lithuanian State Philharmonic Society, and its Executive Director in 1975-78. He was an initiator of great many musical events in Lithuania, such as annual summer concert series of piano music in Druskininkai, New Year concerts in Vilnius and other cities in Lithuania, concerts in museums and art galleries, Vilnius chamber music festivals, international Vilnius organ music festivals, Lithuanian young musicians festivals, summer music festivals in Palanga and Klaipėda, period music festivals in Šiauliai, etc.

From 1995 until his death in 2010, Rimvydas Žigaitis was the President of the Lithuanian Musicians' Union.

Rimvydas Žigaitis left over 200 works of different genres: cantatas, an oratorio, compositions for symphony, chamber, wind, folk instruments and popular music orchestras, vocal cycles, pieces for organ, piano, other instruments, original solo and choir songs and harmonizations of Lithuanian folk songs, songs for children. His music is distinguished by its melodic material which often resembles Lithuanian folk music, ingenious harmonic progressions, colourful instrumentation, contrasts of lush and lucid sonorities.