About Us
The Pittsburgh Lithuanian School is a 501c3 educational non-profit established in 2011 to preserve and promote the Lithuanian language, culture, history and experience in Western Pennsylvania. The school sponsors classes for children and adults as well as maintains a research library and an archive of the Lithuanian experience in Western Pennsylvania.
Bios
Birute Stundziaite
Birute Stundziaite was born in Ukmerge, Lithuania, in 1991 and at the age of six started studying piano at the Art School of Ukmerge. When she was 13, Birute moved to Vilnius to study at the National M. K. Ciurlionis School of Arts under the tutelage of Aleksandras Jurgelionis. After graduation she continued her studies at the Music and Theatre Academy of Lithuania (with Professor Petras Geniusas) and gained her Bachelor Degree. During her studies, Birute was also given a chance to study at the Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester, UK) as an exchange student with Professor Graham Scott. When she finished her Erasmus programme, Birute decided to return to the RNCM and continue her Master studies with Graham Scott, supported by an RNCM Scholarship.
Birute has participated in a number of competitions, including those for the playing of J. S. Bach, L. Janacek, Z. Fibich, B. Dvarionas, S. Vainiunas, in which she was laureate and diploma holder. She also won 1st prizes at the Beethoven Prize (2014) and the Chopin Prize (2015) competitions at the RNCM.
A keen soloist and chamber musician, Birute has taken part in a range of concerts and musical events and is always keen to learn new and exciting repertoire. In 2004, she performed with the Lithuanian chamber orchestra and a few years later participated in In Corpore, a chamber music festival at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. In 2012 she was invited to play as a guest performer in a contemporary music concert at the Anthony Burgess Centre, Manchester, which was organised by ACM Ensemble. In 2015 Birute participated in the Chamber Music festival Má Vlast (My Country) and Russian music festival at the RNCM. In 2016 she participated in one of the biggest international music festivals in Lithuania Sugrįžimai.
Birute has taken an active approach in organising her own concerts in Lithuania, as well as in other countries – Estonia, United Kingdom, United States.
Algirdas Matonis
Algirdas Matonis is a Lithuanian euphonium artist. He currently serves as a Principal Euphonium at the River City Brass Band and Adjunct Professor at Duquesne Universty in Pittsburgh.
Algirdas has performed as a guest artist with a variety of major orchestras as well as been an invitational performer in events such as ITEC 2012 and 2014 and a well-regarded European festival ‘Sugrizimai’. Algirdas was one of the first euphonium players to ever win the ‘Fodens Solo Competition’ in UK.
Algirdas received his undergraduate degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where he studied under the tutelage of Steven Mead and David Thornton. He then pursued further education at the Carnegie Mellon University under the guidance of a well-renowned American euphonium artist Lance LaDuke. Algirdas is currently actively performing and teaching in USA and overseas.