Biography

Lithuanian pianist Gryta Tatoryte is known for her sensitive and convincing interpretation of classical music, fast overview of complex contemporary works as well as for her harmonious and well-balanced collaboration with various Lied and chamber music ensembles.

Gryta Tatoryte was born in Panevezys, Lithuania. Being only six years old, at her own will, she began playing the piano and by the age of ten she was invited to study at the National M. K. Ciurlionis School of Arts in Vilnius, a unique and prestigious institution for education in arts. Under the guidance of pianist Justas Dvarionas, her outstanding teacher, Gryta became a prize winner of numerous national and international piano competitions, such as “Balys Dvarionas International Piano Competition” in Lithuania; “Jurmala International Piano Competition” in Latvia; “Young virtuoso” in Croatia; “Roma Piano Competition”, “Agropoli Piano Competition” in Italy and “Ettlingen Piano Competition” in Germany. She has already played with various orchestras, e. g. the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, the Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and the Karlsruhe University of Music Symphony Orchestra among others, conducted by Modestas Pitrėnas, Mindaugas Piečaitis, Robertas Šervenikas, Cyril Diederich, Johannes Wildner and Mario Venzago. The young pianist has received honorary scholarships from the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, “Mstislav Rostropovich Charity and Support Foundation” in Lithuania, “SOS Talents Foundation Michel Sogny” in Switzerland and Zonta-Club in Karlsruhe.

Through the years Gryta has continuously worked with numerous distinguished pianists including Cyprien Katsaris, Ricardo Castro, Jacques Rouvier, Dina Joffe and Muza Rubackyte in order to get new artistic impulses.

Gryta has been a guest artist in several different well-known music festivals, such as “Schwetzinger Festspiele” and “Schleswig-Holstein Festival” in Germany, “Vilnius Piano Festival” and “Vilnius Festival” in Lithuania. In the latter case she has performed the world premiere of a piano concerto by Gintaras Sodeika. Her musical performances were broadcasted on Mezzo, SWR2, LRT, LRT2 and YLE to mention but a few.

Gryta Tatoryte is a passionate Lied and chamber musician. She was highly influenced by Markus Hadulla, Hartmut Höll and Christoph Berner, with whom she worked on Lied repertoire. Gryta has collaborated with the prominent Vocalesensemble Rastatt, the nominee for Grammy 2016, and the outstanding M. K. Čiurlionis string quartet in the past years. In 2014, Gryta Tatoryte won the 2nd Prize at the Wolfgang Rihm Music Competition in Karlsruhe.

As a contemporary music performer Gryta is always impressing with her conclusive and visionary interpretations. She has worked with various composers on their own works, for example Ralf Gothóni and Michaël Levinas. The opportunity to work with Wolfgang Rihm and his students at the University of Music in Karlsruhe was an enriching and inspiring experience for the pianist. In 2015, Gryta Tatoryte became a prize winner at the piano trio category of the “Karlsruhe International Competition for Contemporary Performance”.

Since 2008 Gryta has been studying with Prof. Michael Uhde, Prof. Peter Eicher, Prof. Markus Stange and Dr. Anna Zassimova at the University of Music in Karlsruhe, Germany. She has graduated from her Bachelor, Master and post-graduate soloist studies in Piano as well as the additional Master in Music Pedagogy with the highest distinction.

In 2013 she started teaching piano as a compulsory subject and since 2020 piano in High School Arts Instruction at the University of Music in Karlsruhe.