Lithuanian musician, composer, music producer, jazz performer (saxophone, clarinet). Representative of modern jazz and free avant-garde music.
Studied music at M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts, 2002. completed his master's degree at the Lithuanian Academy of Music (Vladimir Čekasin's class), in 2005. - a master's degree in jazz performance at the Copenhagen Rhythm Music Conservatory. He deepened his knowledge in various master courses and privately. He made his debut on the jazz scene in 1988. with the schoolchildren's jazz ensemble led by Vladimir Chekasin, has been regularly participating in jazz festivals since the age of 15. He constantly plays music in international ensembles and is the initiator of various international projects. The international career of the saxophonist became particularly active in 1999. after starting his studies in Copenhagen. With the Danish drummer Stefan Pasborg in 2000. formed the highly rated group "Toxikum", the album of the same name was recognized as the jazz discovery of 2004 in Denmark.
L. Mockūnas is also the co-leader of the ensembles "Red Planet", "Baltic Trio", "Artomic" and "Revolver"; plays music with the Copenhagen Art Ensemble, Pierre Dørge and the New Jungle Orchestra, has played in the Swinging Europe Big Band, the international La Villet Jazz Festival big band project with the World Saxophone Quartet. His creative partners include Marc Ducret, David Murray, Oliver Lake, Mats Eilertsen, Jaak Sooäär, Mikko Innanen, Jeff Arnal, Dietrich Eichmann, Scott Colley, Ryoji Hojito, Nasheet Waits, Mats Gustafsson, Chris Speed, Mike Svoboda and Andrew Hill. He played music with various bands almost all over Europe, USA, China. in 2004 the collective of Lithuanian musicians "Traffic Quartet" (Valerijus Ramoška, Eugenijus Kanevičius, Arkadijus Gotesmanas) was gathered on his initiative.
Liudas Mockūnas has won various competitions: in 1993 and 1995. became the laureate of the Juozos Pakalnis wind instrument competition in 1993 and 1995. while participating in the "Berklee in Germany" seminars (led by Gary Burton), he won a scholarship to study at the Berklee College of Music (USA). in 2000 was awarded 2nd prize at the international saxophonist competition "Brilliant Note" in Latvia and at the international jazz soloist competition in Klaipėda. in 2001 with "MAP" trio (Liudas Mockūnas, Jacob Anderskov, Stefan Pasborg) won the European improvisational music competition in France. in 2004 for his musical activities, Mockūnas was awarded the "Mūzų malūno" prize, in 2006. - "Vilnius Jazz" festival prize for contribution to Lithuanian jazz culture.
