RASA BIVEINIENE JAKUTYTE Pianist, professor of Higher Music Education (Grado Superior) – born in Kaunas (Lithuania), she starts her studies at the J. Naujalis Special School of Music and Fine Arts, where she studies for 12 years with the professors R. Kaminskiene and B. Budzinauskiene. She finishes her studies with firstclass honours, obtaining the bests grades in all the subjects. As of the age of 16, Rasa combines her Music studies with the studies of Fine Arts History at the Public University of Kaunas. She continues her music studies at the Lithuanian National Academy of Music and Theater (Vilnius), where she studies piano with the renowned professor O. Steinberg, former student of G. Neighauz and J. Zak. During her studies, R. Biveiniene Jakutyte begins her professional career as a soloist and a member of several chamber music groups, performing in the most important concert halls of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. When she completes her Higher Education Studies (she graduates with first-class honours), she obtains the following diplomas: - Higher education piano professor - Concert soloist - Professional piano accompanist and repertoire performer (Lied, opera) She continues improving her studies as a soloist, piano accompanist and chamber music pianist in different European Conservatories. In 1980 R. Biveiniene Jakutyte becomes a Professor at the Lithuanian National Academy of Music and Theater in the Departments (chairs) of Piano and Piano Accompanist. In her innumerable concerts she collaborates with famous musicians, such as V. Noreika, G. Kaukaite, I. Milkeviciute, R. Katilius, G. Grigorian, E. Montvydas, I. Linaburgyte..... She collaborates as well with the conductors of several orchestras: J. Aleksa, S. Sondeckis, G. Rinkevicius, R. Geniusas… She performs in the main auditoriums and concert halls in Rusia, Latvia, Poland, Holland, Czech Republic, Spain, Greece, France, Germany, etc. In 1991 the pianist develops her activity as a guest repertoire performer and piano accompanist in several international voice contests, such as “María Calas” (Athens), “Plácido Domingo” (Paris), “M. Glinka” (Baku), “J. S. Bach” (Leipzig), “S. Monuschko” (Warsaw), etc. R. Biveiniene Jakutyte participates in many international Chamber Music Festivals, among which stand out: -Tishkeviciaus Gintaro rumai (Tyszkiewicz Palace, Palanga) - Tomas Mann (Nida) - Vilnius (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda) - Contemporary Music (Druskininkai) -Gaida Her broad repertoire comprises pieces of music that range from Baroque to the 21st century. The pianist was the organizer and artistic director of the Festival “Jaunieji talentai” (Young talents), which had a great impact on the Lithuanian cultural life. There are more than 60 recordings of her performances in the Lithuanian, Polish and Russian National Radio archives. R. Biveiniene was given an award for her musical projects by the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture. Since 2000, R. Biveiniene lives in Spain, where she continues with her concert activity and she gets engaged in many different musical projects, belonging to some chamber music groups, which occupy a great part of her concerts: - Trio “Vicus Mare” (S. Blanco Novoa, violoncello, and L. Blanco Novoa, violin). - Trio on flute, oboe and piano (F. Raña, R. Pazo) - Piano duo (A. Moraguez) - Trio “Pifa” (B. Salgueiro, soprano, and J. Estévez, flute) In her projects as a concert pianist, she collaborates with musicians such as B. Beed (Australia), G. Bergorulka (Germany), E. Speller (Belgium), K. Smith (England), as well as with conductors such as T. Brooks (United States), J. Domínguez (Spain), J. Viceiro (Spain), E. Lorenzo (Spain), R. Zdanavicius (Lithuania), M. van Bree (Holland), etc. Over the last few years R. Biveiniene Jakutyte has participated in different festivals and musical projects as a piano soloist and as a member of several chamber music ensembles: - Espazos Sonoros (Spain) - Mondi Sonori (Italy) - Xeración (Spain) - Are More (Spain) - Gothic Cloister of the Cathedral of Tuy (Spain) - Concert cycle with Piano duo (Spain, Portugal, Italy) - Novos intérpretes - Atardeceres en Aldán - Summer Festival in Baiona (Spain) Her wide pianistic profile enables her to participate in opera projects and Lied (collaborating with the associations “Amigos de la opera” and “Opera Magenda”), to get involved in jazz projects (C. Bolling’s musical works), and to participate in several choral music projects: - Festival “R. Rivero” - Project “G. Verdi” - Festival “Orfeón” - Festival “Habaneras” - Project “Zarzuela” Since 2006, R. Biveinien Jakutyte is a piano professor at the Conservatorio Superior de Música of Vigo (Superior Conservatory of Music), belonging to the Xunta de Galicia (Galician Regional Government), and she combines her concert pianist career with her teaching activity, participating as well as a member of the jury of several national and international piano contests, attending educational conferences organized by the Consellería de Ordenación Universitaria (the Regional Department of Education and University Organization), such as “As Ensinanzas Artisticas e o espazo Europeo de Educación Superior” (“Arts Education and the European space of Higher Education”), “Paisaxes sonoros dende o século XX” (“Sounscapes since the 20th century”), a program organized by the Xunta de Galicia called “Musicianship”, “Life Learning Programme” conferences-seminars, “Seminario repertorio lituano e spagnolo per pianoforte” (“Seminar of Lithuanian and Spanish repertoire for pianoforte”) in Italy, etc. Besides all these activities, R. Biveiniene Jakutyte develops her international activity as a piano professor giving master classes in several European countries. Recently, the professor shares her Master Classes with professor J. Kern (Universitat Mozarteum Salzburg, Austria), prof. V. Balzani (Conservatorio Di Musica G. Verdi, Italy), prof. A. Meinel (Hochshule für Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Germany), prof. R. Bálasz (Academia Bela Bartok Miskolc, Hungary), prof. O. Kravchenko (Conservatorio F. A. Bonporti, Italy), professors J. Domínguez (Spain), K. Smith (Englanda), T. Brooks (U.S.A.)…. R. Biveiniene Jakutyte’s students from the Superior Conservatory of Music of Vigo are frequently performing in concerts – recitals, national and international festivals such as “Das Quintas” (Portugal), “Piné Música Piano” (Italy), “IKFEM” (Spain-Portugal), “Festival de Piano” (Spain), “Piano-Lab” (Italy)… They collaborate as well with the orchestra “4/30” (conductor A. Garrido) and the symphony orchestra of Pontevedra (conductor J. Viceiro). In 2011 R.Biveiniene Jakutyte was appointed “Gallega Distinguida” (Distinguished Galician) for her musical work.