Gintaras Sodeika (born 27 April 1961 in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

, Lithuania) is a Lithuanian painter, composer and politician. From 2003 to 2008, Sodeika was the Lithuanian Vice-Minister for Culture.

Early life and education

In 1976, he graduated from the 31st Secondary School in Vilnius. In 1980, he graduated from the J. Tallat-Kelpša Higher Music School in Vilnius with a specialty in choral conducting. In 1986, he graduated from the Lithuanian Conservatory, where he studied composition under Julius Juzeliūnas.Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo rinkimai; Lietuvos Respublikos vyriausioji rinkimų komisija

/ref> He was influenced early on by the Fluxus movement.

Career

Professional and political positions

From 1999 to 2003, he was Chairman of the Lithuanian Composers' Union. During the periods 2003-2005 and 2006–2008, he served as Lithuania's Deputy Minister of Culture. From 2000 to 2006, he was President of the Lithuanian Association of Copyright Protection and Head of the Electronic Music Studio at the Lithuanian Academy of Music. From 2008 to 2010, he was the Deputy Head of Vilnius County, and from 2010 to 2012 he was Assistant to the Minister for the Interior. In 2012, he began working as cultural adviser to Artūras Zuokas, the mayor of Vilnius. Since 2014 he has been the Director of the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center.

Artistic works and collaborations

He is a member of the artists' group called Green Leaves and has performed under its auspices. In 1988-90 he arranged three music festivals, AN-88 and AN-89 (in the town of Anykščiai) and NI-90 (in the town of Nida). Since 1990, he has composed music for almost all of the productions of the theater director

Oskaras Koršunovas Oskaras Koršunovas (born 6 March 1969) is a Lithuanian theatre director. Biography Oskaras Koršunovas was born on March 6, 1969, in Vilnius, Lithuania. He began his career as a theatre director in 1994 at the Lithuanian Academy of Music a ...

. He has also been the sound designer for various non-traditional performance works. He wrote the music for documentary director

Arūnas Matelis Arūnas Matelis (born 9 April 1961, in Kaunas) is a Lithuanian documentary film director. From 1979 till 1983 Arūnas Matelis studied Mathematics at Vilnius University and later in 1989 graduated from the Lithuanian Music Academy. In 1992, he est ...

’s film ''Flight over Lithuania'' (2000).

Membership

Since 2006, he has been a member of the Liberal and Center Union, a liberal-conservative political party.

Personal life

He and his wife, Rimantė, have two children, Vainius and Joris.

Honors and awards

In 1998, he won the St. Christopher Award, an honor presented by the Vilnius city council to recognize contributions to the city. In 2006, he won the Gold Stage Cross.2012 m. spalio 14 d. Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo rinkimai; Lietuvos Respublikos vyriausioji rinkimų komisija

/ref>

References

External links

Gintaras Sodeika at the Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre
Lithuanian composers Lithuanian painters 1961 births Living people Artists from Vilnius Musicians from Vilnius {{Lithuania-painter-stub