Lina Naikelienė

Professor at the LMTA Department of Folk Instruments. Subjects: Kanklės. Languages: Russian (C1), German (C1). 

Lina Naikelienė is a kanklės (an authentic Lithuanian plucked string instrument) music performer. In 1973, she was awarded a degree from the then Lithuanian Conservatory (now – the LMTA) with the qualification as a soloist, a higher education teacher, and a conductor of a folk instrument orchestra. In 1986, Lina Naikelienė completed post-graduate studies at the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory (then – the Leningrad Conservatory), Russia. 

In 1992, Lina Naikelienė was awarded the degree of an associate professor by the LMTA; in 1998, became Professor, and in 1999-2017 acted as Head of the LMTA Department of Folk Instruments.

During her teaching career at the Academy, Lina Naikelienė has raised more than 50 graduates in kanklės, both at bachelor’s and master’s levels. Some of her students are winners of national and international competitions.

Kanklės player Lina Naikelienė joined in the Kanklės Trio of the Lithuanian Art Museum in 1975, and in 1992 founded and directed a folk instrument ensemble Vaivora (until 2003 was named Kanklės) giving more than 800 concerts in Lithuania and abroad. Lina Naikelienė holds several awards such as the prestigious Golden Disc awarded by the Lithuanian Musicians’ Union, the 2nd prize of the International Competition in Moscow (Russia) in 2008; and the Grand Prix of the International Competition Балтия in St. Petersburg in 2009.

In 2011, at the 7th International Chamber Music Competition that took place in the Izumi Hall of Osaka (Japan), the folk instrument ensemble Vaivora won the 4th place and a special prize for the best folk music performers – a prize for performing works by Lithuanian composers in the third round of the competition.

Since 2000, thanks to the initiative of Professor Lina Naikelienė, Lithuania has hosted Jonas Švedas International Competitions for Folk Instrument Performers (in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2013) and Jonas Švedas International Folk Music Festivals Rido (2004, 2006, 2008, 2013). It is also Lina Naikelienė’s merit that starting from 1998 the Lithuania’s Song Celebration included kanklės music concerts May the Kanklės Play (1998, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2018): Lina Naikelienė is the compiler and artistic director of all these concerts.

Professor Lina Naikelienė’s artistic activity has been recognised by Certificates of Appreciation awarded by Presidents of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus and Dalia Grybauskaitė, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, and Prime Minister, as well as diplomas of honour at various international competitions.

In 2009, Lina Naikelienė received the Order of Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania; and in 2010, she was awarded with the Medal of Honour of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. In 2005, Lina Naikelienė received the status of Artist Creator granted by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.