Darius Rudis (b. 1982) studied piano and accordion at the Balys Dvarionas Music School, took private composition lessons from the contemporary composer Rytis Mažulis, started playing drums at the age of fifteen. He graduated from the J. Tallat-Kelpša Conservatory (the class of jazz drums) and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (master’s degree in educational sciences), studied at the Groningen Conservatory with Ralph Peterson (USA) and Steve Altenberg (USA). Currently he teaches the drums and jazz ensemble at the Vilnius College and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Darius Rudis performs a lot in clubs and festivals together with the prominent Lithuanian and international musicians.
“I listen to a lot of different music, therefore I like to test myself in very different genres: jazz, rock, pop, world, electronic, experimental, classical music, etc.”
Lithuanian musicians of other genres Darius Rudis played with:
Virgilijus Noreika, Petras Geniušas, Martynas Levickis, Jazzu, Fusedmarc, Pieno Lazeriai, Happyendless, Skamp, Vaidas Baumila, Sasha Song, Linas Adomaitis, Tabami, Mantas Jankavičius, Rojaus Tūzai, Algis Greitai Ramanauskas, Rūta Ščiogolevaitė, Onsa, Arina, Gytis Paškevičius, Daiva Starinskaitė, Rasa Kaušiūtė, Alanas Hoshnau, Monika Liubinaitė, Gabrielius Vagelis, Dagna Kondravičiūtė, Gabrielius Vagelis, Egidijus Sipavičius, Cappella A, Shorena, Eduardo Gimenez, Istvan Kvik, Kimo Arbas.
Played in festivals and clubs abroad:
In Greece, Finland (Pori Jazz), Switzerland (Montreaux Jazz Festival, also in Lucerne, Zurich), Belgium (Jazz Village), Luxembourg (Jazz Rally), Moldova (Black Elephant), France (Jazz Colours, Café Universel), Czech Republic, Estonia (Jazz Kaar), Latvia (Rīgas Ritmi), Sweden (Nefertiti, Södra Teatern), Poland (in Warsaw, Gdańsk, Gdynia), The Netherlands (in Groningen, Amsterdam, The Hague), Byelorussia, United Kingdom (Cargo, Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival), Germany (tour of 40 concerts in different cities), Spain (Folk Segovia Festival, also in Madrid, Barcelona), Hungary, Ireland (in Dublin), Ukraine (Lviv and Kyiv jazz festivals), Russia (Sergei Kuriokhin Festival, also in Kaliningrad), Kazakhstan (in Astana, Almaty), Turkey (Alanya Jazz Days).
Played in festivals in Lithuania:
Elektrėnai Jazz, Vilnius Jazz, Vilnius Mama Jazz, Tamsta, Karklė, Rock Nights, Tundra, Dramblys, VDU Džiazo Jungtys, Rock Nights, Rafes, Christopher Summer Music, Panemunė Festival, Granatos, Galapagai, Sea Festival, Satta Outside, Be2gether, Broma, Impresijos, Gaida, etc.
Played with such distinguished international musicians as:
Philip Hamilton, Chielli Minucci, Frank Marocco, Victor Mendoza, Austin Becker, Niki Haris, Sheila Charles (USA), Wolfgang Lackerschmid, Hendrik Meurkens, Bernd Homann (Germany), Anatoly Vapirov (Bulgaria), Toivo Unt, Sofia Rubina (Estonia), Saskia Laroo (The Netherlands), Herbie Kopf (Switzerland), Bilal Karaman (Turkey), Gaio De Lima (Brazil), Federico Manzanares (Argentina), Robin Aristorenas (UK), Renzo Ruggieri (Italy), Njabulo Madlala (South Africa).
