Praised by The Times for his “mastery of an instrument once dismissed as a squeezebox”, accordionist Martynas Levickis has captivated audiences and critics alike with his musicality, charisma and dynamic performances. Martynas is a dedicated ambassador for his instrument, widely admired for his virtuosic performances in classical and contemporary genres.

Encouraged by his family, at the age of just three Martynas began to teach himself the traditional folk music of his home country Lithuania. At eight years old he started to learn formally at the S. Sondeckis School of the Arts in his hometown of Šiauliai, later continuing his undergraduate studies with Owen Murray at the Royal Academy of Music and postgraduate studies with Iñaki Alberdi at Spain’s Musikene. Martynas has taken masterclasses with Frédéric Deschamps, Claudio Jacomucci, Friedrich Lips, Masimiliano Pitocco and Matti Rantenen. He is the recipient of over 30 awards internationally, including winner of the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships. The first accordionist to be signed to Universal Music’s Decca Classics label, his eponymous album released in 2013 went straight to the top of the UK Official Classical Album Chart.

Martynas Levickis has performed at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, St John’s Smith Square, Wigmore Hall, Auditorio Nacional in Mexico, Debussy’s Residence in Paris, Gangdong Arts Centre South Korea, and at festivals such as Bath, Dresden, Edinburgh Jazz, Gaida, Leigo Lake, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, Spitalfields and St Magnus. He has played with the BBC Concert Orchestra and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Recent concerto appearances have seen him direct his own ensemble Mikroorkéstra, and feature as soloist with the Lithuanian Chamber, National Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras, St Christopher Chamber Orchestra, Geneva Camerata and Manchester Camerata.

Recent highlights include appointment to the Junge Elite at Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where Martynas received the festival’s Audience Prize; sold out performances at the Royal Albert Hall and Elgar Room, Sam Wannamaker Theatre, Bath International Music Festival, Manchester Cathedral, Classic FM Live; speaker and musician for TEDxVilnius conference 2015; and a substantial concert tour of the United States and Mexico alongside David Garrett. Martynas enjoys regular collaborations with Signum Saxophone Quartet, conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy, pianist Julien Quentin and Manchester Camerata.

Martynas curated the Christopher Festival Accordion Week 2012-14. He is Artistic Director of Palendriai International Composers’ Course & Festival, the 9-day event he founded in 2014 with the objective to create and premiere new music for accordion with chamber ensemble.

Forthcoming highlights include a concert tour and masterclasses through the Caucasus; concerts at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Plush Festival; collaboration with Signum Saxophone Quartet; residency teaching and performing at Dartington International Summer School & Festival. He sits on the Advisory Board of the Lithuanian World Arts Council. In 2016 Martynas is elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in recognition of his distinguished contribution to music in his field.

Martynas plays a classical accordion Pigini Nova, thanks to the generous support of The Lady R Foundation.