Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricija Kasteckaite.
Patricija, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was six years old, I auditioned for Čiurlionis School of Arts in Vilnius. I went to the audition thinking that I will follow my brother’s footsteps and play the violin. Just as the interview part started, the teacher auditioning me, showed a cello and said that I have great fingers for it. I immediately fell in love and told my parents that I won’t be attending the school if I can’t play the cello.
After eight years of learning there, I started to attend the Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, where I continued to explore the possibilities of the instrument and became completely fazed with performing on stage.
This year I am starting my studies at the Royal College of Music in London, which will be another step closer towards my dream- performing for others and sharing the story of each different piece.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest challenges, that I think all young dedicated musicians face, is pressure and the balance between being a great student and a devoted musician. There are 24 hours in a day, however it always felt too short and some things had to be exchanged for certain goals to be achieved. Sometimes sleep, friend or food time would get shorter, just so I could practice one more hour or study for that exam that I left forgotten at the back of my mind. However, at one point I had to sit down and rearrange this routine, because it wasn’t working for me. The pressure will always be there, but as long as there’s a balance, it allows me to grow and expand my portfolio as a person and a musician.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At the moment I’m starting my career as a cellist and I absolutely thrive when performing solo on stage. Even though a big part of my art is created in a practice room, putting in lots of hours to uncover the secrets and stories of each passage, I love to share what I discover with others through performances. Besides, I love to play with different arrangements of ensembles, because each instrument’s voice and player’s ideas are unique and make the music sound compelling.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are incredible teachers that I had over the past twelve years of playing the cello. Ramute Kalnenaite was, is and will always be my mentor, role model and overall a significant person in my life. She has taught me not only the techniques of how to play the cello, but also showed me how to speak the music from my heart. She is an incredible artist, musician, teacher and person, who I will always cherish.
As well, my brother, Teodoras Kasteckas. He was the one who moved me towards the path of a music career. With a bit of a nudge, he always agrees to play duets and expands my understanding and view of certain pieces, composers.
Contact Info:
