Kasparas Mikužis

Lithuanian-born pianist Kasparas Mikužis has already performed on the stages of prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall and Concertgebouw Hall. He has released his debut CD, with televised performances on Mezzo TV and airplay on national Lithuanian TV and radio as well as Radio Classique in France. Kasparas has appeared in concert halls across the whole of Europe, most recently performing solo recitals at the Bridgewater Concert Hall in Manchester, UK and at the Panderecki Centre in Luslawice, Poland. Last April, he made his debut with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra at the Lithuanian Philharmonic in Vilnius, and in July was invited to perform for Lithuanian and Polish presidents on the Lithuanian Statehood Day at the presidential palace. In late 2023, Kasparas won 3rd prize at the International M. K. Čiurlionis Competition.
 

This February Kasparas has appeared with John Wilson and Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra and upcoming concert engagements include a solo recital at the Wigmore Hall. Imogen Cooper Music Trust has invited Kasparas to work and perform alongside Imogen Cooper as a scholar for 2024. This year Kasparas is also closely working with pianist Gabriela Montero through Oacademy.

Kasparas' musical talent was first noticed by Michael Sogny when he became a scholar of the SOS Talents Foundation at the age of 10. The Foundation helped the young pianist get exposure and concert experience by inviting him to perform at various concert venues, including their yearly Christmas concerts held on Champs Elysées in Paris. Since then, Kasparas has gone on to perform at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva on multiple occasions and at the EMMA for Peace World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates concert in Warsaw. In 2018, Kasparas was invited to the opening concert of the V. Krainev Competition in Kharkiv, where he performed Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto. His other notable appearances include performances at the Fazioli Factory Concert Hall in Sacile, Italy, at the Purcell Room, Southbank in London, and the season opening concert of the Kharkiv Philharmonic Hall with the Kharkiv Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra under conductor Yuri Yanko. More recently, Kasparas was invited to perform alongside violinist Jack Liebeck and cellist Josephine Knight at the Royal Academy of Music chamber music concerts as a winner of Duo and Chamber music competitions. Kasparas was also invited to play for Sir Andras Schiff at the Riga Jurmala Music Festival. In the past he attended masterclasses at the Bacewicz International Summer Music Academy, International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein, Prussia Cove IMS and Oxford Piano Festival.
 

Kasparas is the recital scheme artist of the Countess of Munster and has received support over the years from various foundations, including the M. Rostropovich Charity & Support Foundation (Lithuania), the SOS Talents Foundation (France), the Harold Craxton Trust (UK), the Hattori Foundation (UK), and the Drake Calleja Trust (UK). Currently, Kasparas is a student at the Royal Academy of Music, where he completed his undergraduate studies under pianist Diana Ketler and is now pursuing his postgraduate studies with Professor Christopher Elton. In recognition of his representation of Lithuania on the international stage, Kasparas was honored with a letter of gratitude from the President of the Republic of Lithuania.