Sound engineer and lecturer. A graduate of the Music Technology programme, he now takes care of the students in this programme and teaches them about music directing and sound technology. He had many concerts, festivals and TV shows in his career.
You work a lot with the youth. What are today’s young people like in terms of music?
I really enjoy working with young people. The most interesting thing is probably to see the progression that happens in them in a short period of time from the beginning of their studies to graduation. This generation can probably be called the “YouTube generation”, which wants everything fast. They read less but like to learn more from videos. They are good with technology. They mainly listen to modern electronic and hip-hop music, especially new trends such as trap.
What music do you listen to yourself?
The music I listen to depends very much on the surroundings, the situation, and my mood. In the morning – energetic, positive music; in the evening, when reading a book –more relaxed lounge-style music. Sometimes I listen to classical music and jazz in the evenings, and sometimes to harder rock. Some of my favourite artists are Jamiroquai, Coldplay, Joe Cocker.
How do you spend your free time?
I’ve been into hiking for a long time, and it’s one of the few things I can do during the quarantine period. Hiking can be divided into three groups: urban hiking, where you observe people and architecture; hiking in the countryside, enjoying all the pleasures of bathing in the forest; and hiking in the mountains. In Kaunas, I have a few favourite trails in Žaliakalnis, the city centre and the Old Town. In the mountains, I prefer trails that can be done on your own, without additional equipment. One of my most memorable hikes was the first night hike from Smiltyne to Nida, when I had to struggle fatigue and rain, but it was all forgotten when I saw the beautiful sunrise and the goal was achieved. And I recently discovered another activity – sailing. I began spending time on the water, catching the wind. At the moment, I sail mainly in Kaunas Lagoon, but I have already experienced the waves of the Baltic Sea when sailing to Gdansk, and I believe there will be more trips in the future.
You can be found backstage at concerts and festivals. Is the job of a sound engineer difficult? What does it consist of?
I’m very lucky – I’m in a job I love, and when you love a job, it’s never too tiring. I have been working in this field for almost 15 years now, but I still discover something new and interesting every time. I love the changing technology, the changing work environment, the opportunity to meet lots of interesting people and visit different countries. My work as a sound engineer consists of two areas: music records and sound for events. In records, I have to take care of capturing, processing, and preparing the sound for publishing. Event sound includes planning, sound system design, and finally sound direction. In this field, I am the connecting chain between the performer and the listener, so the psychology of communication is also very important – to find a way to communicate with the performer, to make him/her feel comfortable, but also to be able to get what he/she needs to make a good recording or a good concert soundtrack.
What could you not live without?
I’m probably going to sound corny, but it would be tough to say goodbye to music. I start my every day with it, and it accompanies me every step of the way.
To meet the other faculty members please visit: fssah.ktu.edu/teachers
