Martyna Mišeikytė Awarded the 2025 GEDOK Musikpreis
The Lithuanian trombonist Martyna Mišeikytė has been awarded the 2025 GEDOK Musikpreis, a distinction presented by GEDOK Karlsruhe in collaboration with the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. The award, which supports and showcases outstanding women artists, is being given for the second time in partnership with the music university. While the inaugural edition honored a composition student, this year the jury deliberately chose to highlight a wind instrumentalist—ultimately selecting Mišeikytė for her artistry, musical maturity, and promising trajectory.
An Early Start and Rapid Ascent
Born in 2001, Mišeikytė began her musical journey at the age of six at the Trakai Arts School in Lithuania, studying piano and several brass instruments including cornet, flugelhorn, and euphonium. Her focus shifted to trombone in 2014 when she entered the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts in Vilnius, laying the foundation for a career marked by technical excellence and expressive depth.
Mišeikytė’s talent quickly gained recognition. In 2016 she won 2nd prize at the national competition Vario garsai in Vilnius, and a year later she received the Grand Prix at the international competition Junger Virtuose in Riga. Additional honors followed: 3rd prize at the Juozas Pakalnis national competition in Kaunas (2019), and major chamber-music distinctions earned in collaboration with pianist Simona Šleiterytė, including the Grand Prix at the II International Competition for Chamber Music Musica Brillante in Vilnius (2019) and 1st prize at the national chamber music competition Muzikinė akvarelė (2020).
Her artistic development has been enriched by masterclasses with leading trombonists such as Jonas Bylund, Branimir Slokar, Ian Bousfield, and Jörgen van Rijen. Currently, she continues her studies at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe under Prof. Brandt Attema and Prof. Sándor Szabó.
Expanding Professional Horizons
Recent years have marked a significant step into professional orchestral life. In 2024, Mišeikytė received the prestigious Deutschlandstipendium and began an academy position with the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra. In February 2025, she assumed a temporary position as solo trombonist with the Philharmonic Orchestra Bremerhaven. She has also performed as a guest with ensembles including the Philharmonisches Orchester Hagen, the Barockorchester Karlsruhe, and the Hannoverische Hofkapelle.
The GEDOK Musikpreis: Recognition and Opportunity
To apply for this year’s GEDOK Musikpreis, candidates submitted performance videos and a curriculum vitae. After reviewing the submissions, GEDOK selected Mišeikytė as the 2025 laureate. The award includes a monetary prize as well as a concert performance, which she will give on 27 November.
For Mišeikytė, receiving the award is both an honor and a meaningful acknowledgment of the path she has charted so far. It highlights GEDOK’s commitment to fostering the careers of women artists and underscores the high standards of the musical community in Karlsruhe.
Looking Ahead
After completing her contract in Bremerhaven, Mišeikytė plans to return to Karlsruhe to finish her bachelor’s degree. At the same time, she intends to audition for orchestras and prepare for entrance examinations for master’s studies. With a rapidly expanding resume, a growing presence in the German orchestral scene, and now the GEDOK Musikpreis to her name, Martyna Mišeikytė stands poised at a pivotal and exciting moment in her young career.