Saulius Sondeckis, conductor, orchestra leader and professor, died February 3 at the age of 88.

The Lithuanian Jewish Community expresses condolences to his surviving family, his wife Silvija and three sons Saulius, Paulius and Vytautas, as well as all the other members of his family.

Sondeckis was a great friend of the Lithuanian Jewish Community. During his last visit in May of 2015 the hall was full to overflowing during a screening of a film about him by his son Saulius. At that time the maestro thanked his parents for inspiring him to embark upon his musical career, saying stories about their good works circulated by word of mouth: the charity work of his mother, a teacher, helping poor students, and the rescue of Jews by his father, Jackus, the burgermeister of Šiauliai. Jackus Sondeckis was recognized as a Righteous Gentile by Yad Vashem. Lithuanian music experts recognize Saulius Sondeckis as a Lithuanian artist of the highest order. Just a year ago he was performing fully on stage despite his age. Over 50 years of work professor Sondeckis conducted more than 3,000 concerts in almost every European country, in the USA, Japan, Cuba, South Korea, Canada and Taiwan.

Saulius Sondeckis was born October 11, 1928, in Šiauliai. From 1948 to 1952 he studied violin at the Lithuanian Musical Conservatory under professor Aleksandras Livontas and later continued violin at the Moscow Conservatory while studying conducting under Igor Markevich. Sondeckis began conducting in 1955. Initially he directed the M. K. Čiurlionis Art School student orchestra. In 1976 that orchestra took the gold medal at the Herbert von Karajan orchestra competition in Berlin. In 1960 Sondeckis formed the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra with whom he held concerts in many countries and which he led until it disbanded in 2004. He also conducted the Leningrad State Hermitage Orchestra, the Lithuanian Baltic Chamber Orchestra and the Moscow Virtuosos orchestra.

The professor was awarded the Order of Gediminas, first and fifth degrees, and the State Prize in 1998. In 1999 he received the Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Art and in 2000 was made honorary citizen of the city of Šiauliai. In 2002 he was awarded the January 13th commemorative medal, the Estonian Order of the Land of Mary Cross, fourth degree. In 2003 he received the Austrian medal of honor, first class. An art gymnasium is named after Sondeckis in Šiauliai, formerly the Šiauliai Conservatory.