GINTARAS RINKEVIČIUS is the founder (1988) and Artistic Director of the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, as well as a Professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.

He graduated from the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory and the Moscow State Conservatory. Rinkevičius made his operatic debut in 1987 at the Hungarian National Theatre with Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail. His notable productions include performances at the Klaipėda State Music Theatre, the Dutch National Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam, the Gothenburg Opera, the Scottish National Opera, and the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Rinkevičius has held several key positions: Chief Conductor of the Latvian National Opera (1996–2003) and Principal Guest Conductor (2007–2009), Chief Conductor of Malmö Opera (2002–2005), Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra (2008–2017), and Chief Conductor of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra (2017–2022). Since 2013, he has also served as a conductor and board member of the World Peace Orchestra.

He has collaborated with distinguished ensembles such as the Berliner Symphoniker, Staatskapelle Weimar, and the symphony orchestras of Frankfurt (Germany), Tampere (Finland), and Tivoli (Copenhagen), among many others. He has appeared at prestigious venues including the Cologne Philharmonie, the Salzburg Festival Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall, and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. A significant part of his artistic mission has been the promotion of Lithuanian contemporary music.

Rinkevičius has been honored with awards from Lithuania, Portugal, and Norway. His artistic contribution to Latvian culture has been recognized with the Order of the Three Stars (4th Class) and the Latvian Great Music Award.