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Vestard Shimkus

Vestard Shimkus was born in Jūrmala, Latvia, in 1984. He started playing the piano at the age of five and in 1990 entered Emīls Dārziņš Music College where his teachers have been Ruta Švinka, Ligita Muižarāja, professor Teofils Biķis and Sergey Osokin.

He has attended several master classes - with Lazar Berman, Igor Zhukov, Joan Havil. In the academic year 2002-03 Shimkus was a student of Daniel Pollack at the Southern California University (USA).

In the summer of 2003 following the invitation of professor Dmitry Bashkirov he studied in his master class in Savonlinna, being his student also at present.

Vestard Shimkus is a prize-winner of 12 competitions, among them:

  • B Dvarionas International Young Pianists Competition in Vilnius (1994, 1st prize);
  • Young Composers Competition in Rīga (1995, 1st prize);
  • International Young Pianists Competition in Jūrmala (1995, 1st prize);
  • F.Chopin International Young Pianists Competition in Poland (1996, 1st prize and Grand Prix);
  • W.A. Mozart International Young Pianists Competition in Rīga (1997, 1st prize);
  • Competition of Young Performers NOVA NOMINA in Rīga (1998, 1st prize);
  • International Performers Competition in Stockholm (2001, 1st prize and Grand Prix);
  • F. Liszt International Pianists Competition in Los Angeles (2002, 1st prize). He was the prizewinner among 129 pianists up to the age 35. The 1st prize award was accompanied by an offer to give a solo concert in F.Liszt Concert Hall in Budapest in May 2003.

Vestard Shimkus has participated in different international music festivals - in Kaunas (1995), Liepāja (1997), Stockholm (1998), Oberstdorf (1999), Salt Lake City (1999), Kuressaaree (2003).

He has given concerts in Lithuania, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Ireland, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Italy, USA and Hungary.

Vestard Shimkus has been awarded a scholarship by the International Foundation NEW NAMES OF THE PLANET. He is a winner of the Latvian Grand Music Award (2002).

Irrespective of his young years Vestard Shimkus has recorded many compositions for music archives of the Latvian Radio.

Vestard Shimkus expresses himself also as a composer and he includes his compositions in his concert programmes as well.


CRITICS' REVIEWS

"Vestard Shimkus has a beauty of tone, a lot of varied colours and an excellent technique. A great talent!"

Daniel Pollack, a piano professor, USA, Oct.2001

"He is amazing!"

Desert News, SLC, USA, June 1999

"We found out an incredible "pianist-virtuoso" who can play not only very fast, but also is able to think as quickly as lightning"

Diena, Riga, Latvia, Feb. 2000

"His performance of Rachmaninov's 3rd concerto was so emotional and virtuous. We can feel that some real Rachmaninov's spirit is inborn in this pianist."

Literatura un Maksla Latvija, Riga, Dec. 2001

"Vestard did impossible things! He played this grandiose solo recital absolutely perfectly. That was just inerrable!"

Aus dem Oberallgau, Germany, Oct. 2001


November, 2003.

Concerts:

Date, time, place

Concert

Ticket prices

01.02.2011  19:00
Great Guild Hall

Vestards Šimkus (piano)

 

30.01.2011  19:00
Great Guild Hall

Vestards Šimkus (piano)

 

16.08.2010  18:00
Dzintari Concert Hall

CHOPIN NON STOP - CHOPIN FOREVER

 

29.01.2010  19:00
Great Guild Hall

Vestards Šimkus (piano)

 

28.01.2010  19:00
Great Guild Hall

Vestards Šimkus (piano)

 

11.11.2003  19:00
Black Head House

Winner of 12 international competitions Vestard Shimkus (piano) and his 1st CD presentation.

 

28.10.2003  19:00
Black Head House

Winner of 12 international competitions
Vestard Shimkus (piano)

 

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