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A well-recognized solo pianist as well as a member of various chamber ensembles in Lithuania, he has given numerous performances across his native country, Lithuania, and also performed in many venues in the United States, Asia, and Europe. As a soloist, Aidas Puodžiukas took part in many famous international festivals, including Music Academy of the West (Santa Barbara, USA), Sarasota Music Festival (Florida, USA), Piano Institute at Colby (Maine, USA), Brandywine Piano Institute at West Chester (Pennsylvania, USA), Music Festival Piešťany (Slovakia), Hanoi New Music Festival (Vietnam), among the others.
Mr. Puodžiukas is the prizewinner of 14 international piano competitions, held in Lithuania, Czechia, Spain, and the United States. Prizes were achieved at the “Virtuosi per musica di pianoforte” Piano Competition in Czechia, Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Spain, Antonín Dvořák Piano Competition in Lithuania, International S. Vainiūnas Piano Competition in Lithuania, Yamaha Foundation of Europe Piano Competition, Richmond Piano Competition in the United States, and many others. In 1999, Aidas Puodžiukas was asked to give his debut playing the piano concerto by the Lithuanian composer Vytautas Bacevičius. This performance appeared at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra lead by maestro Robertas Šervenikas. In 2005, the pianist recorded this concerto with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra conducted by maestro Martynas Staškus.
Aidas Puodžiukas was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, into a family of musicians, and began playing piano at the age of six. After receiving bachelor`s degree at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Aidas Puodžiukas studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, under prof. Jerome Lowenthal. Later on, he received an artist diploma as well as his master`s degree at the College of Fine Arts of Boston University, under prof. Anthony di Bonaventura. Aidas Puodžiukas perfected his mastery of playing under world famous pianists: Emanuel Krasovsky, Lev Natocheny, Igor Laszko, Lazar Berman, and Peter Eicher. He also studied chamber music with a member of the Juilliard String Quartet, prof. Raphael Hillyer, and with the members of the Muir String Quartet.
Currently, Aidas Puodžiukas is the head of the Piano and Organ Department at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, faculty member of the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts. Aidas is also the president of European Piano Teachers' Association (EPTA) in Lithuania. The pianist regularly gives piano masterclasses in Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Italy, Serbia, Estonia, Finland, the USA, and Taiwan. He has also been invited to serve as a jury member in various piano competitions in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Italy.
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