USC Aiken Music Students Meet Master Pianist

Aiken, SC (02/05/2019) — Students from the University of South Carolina Aiken had a unique opportunity to learn from world-renowned pianist Dr. Edvinas Minkstimas, the featured artist for the 2019 Winter Nocturne Concert.

"I really enjoyed having the opportunity to be in the master class," said Austin Bowers, a music education major.

"I learned mostly about keyboard technique, in that finger patterns play a major role in the tone quality and overall performance of a piece."

The junior, who has been playing the piano since he was 4, said he hopes to be an instructor of music. He wants to teach piano to late elementary and early middle-school aged students.

While Bowers and several other Pacers had one-on-one opportunities for instruction, Minkstimas also conducted master classes with local piano students.

At 14, Minkstimas debuted professionally with The Lithuanian National Philharmonic Orchestra (Vilnius), playing the Grieg Piano Concerto in A-minor. He has released two recordings, featuring solo and orchestral performances of works by Brahms, Beethoven and Liszt. Minkstimas has earned numerous grants and scholarships, including those from the Meyer Foundation (France), Music Academy of the West (California), and the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture.

A native of Kaunas, Lithuania, Minkstimas claims his early artistic influences from Nordic poetry, Baltic mythology and other romantic images.

For more on Minkstimas, see related story: http://usca.meritpages.com/news/renowned-pianist-to-perform-for-10th-annual-winter-nocturne/7037

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