Lithuanian composer, pedagogue, party leader.
1941-1949 he studied at Šiauliai J. Janonis Secondary School, later at Šiauliai Music School. In 1956 he graduated from the composition class of professor Julius Juzeliūnas at the LSSR Conservatoire.
Since 1957 he has been a member of the Lithuanian Composers' Union. 1963-1975 Director and artistic director of the LSSR Opera and Ballet Theatre. 1971-1989 Chairman of the Board of the Lithuanian Composers' Union. 1983-1994 Rector of the LSSR Conservatoire (since 1992 the Lithuanian Academy of Music), 1985 Professor. 1994-2003 Professor of the Department of Composition at the Lithuanian Academy of Music. 1996-2003 and 2004-2009 Chairman of the Music Foundation of the Lithuanian Composers' Union.
1971-1986 Candidate to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania, since 1986 member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania. Since 1975 deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, since 1980 deputy chairman of the Supreme Soviet.
