Arvydas Malcys (b.1957) graduated twice from the Lithuanian Academy of Music, receiving diplomas both in cello playing (under Prof. Domas Svirskis) in 1980, and composition (under Prof. Vytautas Laurušas) in 1989. During the years of latter studies he has also attended lectures on polyphony with Osvaldas Balakauskas and modern harmony and analysis with Rimantas Janeliauskas.
His work as a composer is coequal to his experience as a cello player. Arvydas Malcys has premiered quite a few of new works by Lithuanian composers as a soloist and with different ensembles. Since 1979 he has been playing the cello with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. He was a member of the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra of Vilnius Municipality from 1995 to 1997, and the Vilnius New Music Ensemble from 1995 to 2001, touring many countries around the globe with these groups.
The works by Arvydas Malcys have been showcased at the international festivals Gaida (1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005) and Jauna muzika (1996, 1997, 2001) in Vilnius, Iš arti (2001, 2006, 2008, 2012) in Kaunas, Ghent Contemporary Music Festival (1999), Ravenna Festival (2002), International Review of Composers in Belgrade (2003, 2004), ISCM World Music Days in Ljubljana (2003), Sinfonia Baltica Competition in Riga (2001, 2004), Kremlin Christmas Music Festival in Moscow (2007), 21 ct. Perspectives Festival in Yerevan (2007), European Christmas in Riga (2008), Two Days and Two Nights of New Music in Odessa (2009, 2010, 2012), 9th Contemporary Music Festival Europe-Asia in Kazan (2009), Kiev Music Fest (2009, 2010), Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus (2010), The First International Gallery of Actual Music Festival in Moscow (2011), Gogolfest in Kiev (2012), Euro-Mediterranean Youth Music Expo in Cyprus (2012), Yuri Bashmet Festival in Moscow (2013), Schleswig-Holstein Festival (2013), as well as in concerts in Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Austria, Germany, Italy, Finland, France, the USA, Israel, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Argentine, Turkey, South Korea, Macedonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, and Cyprus. In 2004 he was awarded 3rd Prize for the symphonic composition "Only Heaven Above Us" at the Sinfonia Baltica International Composers' Competition in Riga, in 2005 - 1st Prize for the Concerto for piano and chamber orchestra at the Juozas Karosas Composers' Competition in Vilnius, in 2006 - Conductor's Prize for the composition "In memoriam" for string orchestra at the composers' competition "Mozart 250" in Moscow, in 2008 - 1st Prize for the composition "Saxchord" for tenor saxophone and string quartet at the Juozas Karosas Composers' Competition. In 2007 his "Cantus sirenum" was chosen as a recommended work at the Haifa International Flute Festival, and in 2009 his "Narcissus" was included in the obligatory program at the Max Rostal viola competition in Berlin. Nine portrait CDs of Arvydas Malcys' music are released to date.
Arvydas Malcys has collaborated with a number of renowned performers including David Geringas (cello and conductor, Germany), Yuri Bashmet (viola and conductor, Russia), Camilla Hoitenga (flute, Germany), Mark Grauwels (flute, Belgium), Roger Arve Vigulf (clarinet, Norway), Denis Shapovalov (cello, Russia), Hartmut Rohde (viola, Germany), Alexander Zemtsov (viola, Great Britain), Maria Fedotova (flute, Russia), Olivier Lusinchi (flute, France), Alena Baeva (violin, Russia), Guoda Gedvilaitė, Sergey Okrushko (piano, Lithuania), Liudas Mockūnas (saxophone, Lithuania), Raimundas Sviackevičius (accordion, Lithuania), Ingrida Armonaitė (violin, Lithuania), as well as conductors Mstislav Rostropovich, Misha Rakhlevsky, Fiodor Ledniov (Russia), Olari Elts, Hendrik Vestmann (Estonia), Andris Nelsons, Andris Vecumnieks (Latvia), Alan Buribayev, Pavel Baleff (Germany), Damian Iorio, Pavel Berman (Italy), Daniel Gazon (Belgium), Petar Ivanovich (Serbia), Christian Arnesen (Norway), Igor Shavruk, Volodimir Sirenko (Ukraine), Stanislav Oushev (Bulgaria), Robertas Šervenikas, Juozas Domarkas, Modestas Pitrėnas, Saulius Sondeckis, Gintaras Rinkevičius, Vytautas Lukočius, Donatas Katkus (Lithuania).
Arvydas Malcys' works were performed by various orchestras including Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra, Leipzig MDR Symphony Orchestra, Meiningen Symphony Orchestra, Novaya Rossiya Symphony Orchestra, Kazan State Symphony Orchestra, Varna Symphony Orchestra, Ljubljana Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Berlin Camerata, Chamber Orchestra Kremlin (Moscow), Chamber Orchestra of Moscow Soloists, Mons Royal Conservatoire Orchestra (Belgium), Odessa Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Kymi Sinfonietta (Finland), Vestfold Sinfonietta (Norway), Solistes de Sofia (Bulgaria), Kiev Kamerata, Sinfonia Concertante (Latvia), as well as Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Kaunas Symphony Orchestra, St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Klaipėda, Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra, among others.
Instrumental music makes up the most significant part of Arvydas Malcys' creative output. In a number of his works for various instrumental settings, the tendencies of absolute music fit well with nearly expressionistic imagery and sound poetry reminiscent of the impressionism; a feel for neoclassical forms with aleatory and a penchant for colourful textures and specific sound effects. Having a discriminating ear, he takes special interest in timbre possibilities of different instruments in various registers of their range. Well familiar with peculiarities of instruments, especially strings, Arvydas Malcys manipulates manifold expressional possibilities of individual instruments and their combinations, and thereby shapes them to serve as strongly-flavoured personifications, well-nigh "theatrical" characters. His music is fraught with contrast, grotesque and irony.
