Bridgewater Sinfonia, Berkhamsted

Martyna Jatkauskaite

Shostakovich – Concerto No.1 for Piano and Trumpet – November 2009

Lithuanian-born pianist Martyna Jatkauskaite leads an active concert life as a soloist in England and Europe. She has appeared as a soloist with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuania Chamber Orchestra, the Kaunas Symphony Orchestra, the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, and the London Festival Orchestra under esteemed conductors such as Sondeckis, M.Pitrenas, V.Petrenko, E.Selvik and R.Pople among others.

As the winner of the Jacques Samuel Piano Competition, Martyna made her critically acclaimed Wigmore Hall debut in November 2008, followed by a recital at the Faziolli Concert hall in Italy. She has been invited to perform in the London Festival Orchestra’s Virtuoso Pianists series at Cadogan Hall in March 2009. In 2008, Martyna appeared at the Barbican Hall performing Shostakovich 1st Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, conducted by Vasily Petrenko. Martyna Jatkauskaite is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Philharmonia Orchestra/Martin Musical Scholarship Fund Award, which led to debut recitals at the Royal Festival Hall and Purcell Room/Queen Elizabeth hall. In 2009, Martyna was awarded Recommended Artist under Making Music’s Philip and Dorothy Green Award scheme. 

Martyna’s musical journey started at the Kaunas J. Naujalis Music College, where she studied with Birute Kumpikiene, and later with V. Vitaite at the Lithuanian Music and Drama Academy. In 2005, Martyna Jatkauskaite was awarded the prestigious Baltic State Scholarship to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Professor Joan Havill. Martyna received a First Class Bachelor Diploma in Music with Honours (2007) and is now studying for a Masters Degree of Music in Music Performance.

In the year of 2006, Martyna Jatkauskaite won the Overall Winner of the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition in England, in addition to first prize at the Vainiunas International Piano Competition in Vilnius, the Pro-Piano Romania in Bucharest, the Roma 2000 in Italy, and the Konzerteum 98 in Greece. Jatkauskaite is also a prize winner of Karl Cherni Competition, Prague, the La Muse International Piano Competition in Italy, the Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey, Canada and Dudley International Piano Competition in U.K. (Margaret Allen Memorial Prize).

Martyna is regularly invited to perform in festivals such as the Gower Music Festival, the Guildford Music Festival, and the Petworth International Music Festival. Additionally she performs regularly for St.Margaret’s in Westminster, the Croft Hall in Hungerford, the Steyning Music Society, the Drapers Hall, and Trinity Theatre of Tunbridge Wells.

“…If the over-riding impression she created was one of strength of tone, physical power and integrity of conception, then it says much for her well-defined technique and ability to stamp authority on practically every statement she makes at the keyboard…” Wigmore Hall recital 2008