Ignas Maknickas was born in 1998 in Santa Barbara, California. He graduated from the National M.K. Čiurlionis School of Arts, studying in the piano class of Docent Albina Šikšniūtė. In 2017, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė awarded Ignas a diploma of maturity for promoting the school's name and achieving success in competitions. Ignas now studies for a bachelor's degree in piano at the Royal Academy of Music in London, in the class of Professor Joanna MacGregor, with a fully funded scholarship. Ignas is a laureate of international piano competitions, having won first place in the 19th International F. Chopin Young Pianists' Competition in Szafarnia, Poland in 2011, and first place in the 20th International "Young Virtuoso" Competition in Zagreb, Croatia in 2014, as well as third place and audience award in the international Enschede competition in the Netherlands. In 2018, he was awarded the "Harold Samuel" Prize at the Royal Academy of Music's "Harriet Cohen" J.S. Bach Competition, and in 2019 he won third place in the "Aarhus International Piano Competition". In 2017, Ignas participated in the "Young Concert Artists" auditions in New York, and in 2018 he won the silver medal at the "Manhattan International" Music Festival. In 2018 and 2019, Ignas was invited to participate (with a full scholarship) in the prestigious Oxford Piano Festival in the United Kingdom. Ignas was supported by the M. Rostropovich Foundation from 2009-2017. He participated in Master Classes with Professor Muza Rubackyte in Vilnius, the "Music Fest Perugia" festival in Italy, and the G. Sebök Academy "Piano Pic" in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France. Ignas has performed in various events with the Lithuanian National Symphony, the University of Alicante Philharmonic, the Dartington, Brno, Kaunas and Orhus Symphonies, as well as the Lithuanian, St. Christopher and Klaipeda Chamber Orchestras. He has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Maestro Geoffrey Simon, Uri Segal, Anna Skryleva, Modest Pitrenu, Mindaugas Piečaitis, Martynas Staškus, and others. In 2018 and 2019, Ignas performed Mozart's 9th, 10th, and 23rd Concertos together with the London Mozart Players, the Dartington and the Royal Academy of Music orchestras. Ignas also performed with the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra, playing Bach and Schnittke's piano concertos under the direction of Modestas Barkauskas, at St. Catherine's Church in Vilnius. In 2020, Ignas performed Mozart's 21st Concerto with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Vilmantas Kaliūnas, at the National Philharmonic. His first recitals were held during the "Kristupo Vasaros" Festival in St. Catherine's Church in 2014 and 2016. In 2017 and 2018, the pianist held recitals at the "Vaidilos" Theatre in Vilnius. In 2018, Ignas Maknickas performed solo recitals at the Steinway Hall in London and at the T. Mann Festival in Nida. In 2019, he appeared in the seventh Maknickas concert for five young pianists at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and also performed solo recitals at the Kinross Hall in Scotland and the Charlottenborg Festival Hall in Copenhagen. Since 2016, Ignas has regularly participated in Master Classes with Maestro Geoffrey Simon in London. In 2012 and 2015, Ignas Maknickas was awarded certificates of gratitude by the President of the Republic of Lithuania. In 2016, Vilnius Mayor awarded Ignas the "Mažasis Šv. Kristoforas" for his musical achievements and promoting the city of Vilnius. Since 2016, Ignas has been carefully nurtured by the "Arts Global" foundation. In 2018, Ignas received the "Molyneaux" Prize at the Royal Academy of Music, and in 2019 he was awarded the ABRSM Scholarship Award by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
