Karolis Šarkus (saxophone, Lithuania) – a saxophonist and composer representing the new generation of Lithuanian jazz. National media have described him as a highly promising young musician. Karolis began his musical journey as a classical saxophonist, but after discovering and immersing himself in jazz, his focus shifted – a path he has followed ever since.
He studied jazz both in the United States, at the Berklee College of Music under Dick Oatts, and in Europe, in Amsterdam, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Jazz critics and educators describe him as an ambitious and progressive musician, with outstanding command of his instrument and a willingness to explore beyond his comfort zone.
Karolis is not only a performer but also a composer and arranger for his own projects as well as other ensembles. Audiences and fellow musicians consistently praise his music, noting his tasteful understanding of instruments and his modern jazz approach that still honors jazz traditions.
In 2014, Karolis received a partial scholarship to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. Recently, he became a laureate of one of Italy’s most important jazz soloist competitions, the Premio Internazionale Massimo Urbani (2021), and in 2022 he won first prize at the Baltic Young Composers Big Band Competition in Latvia.
He has performed on all major stages in Lithuania and at festivals in Latvia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Karolis is a regular member of the jazz ensembles Brave Noises, Vilnius JJAZZ Ensemble, and KJ Collective, and has performed alongside internationally acclaimed musicians such as Stefano Bollani, Stefano Di Battista, and David Lynx.
Together with saxophonist Donatas Petreikis, he founded and composes for Lithuania’s only traditional jazz septet, Collaborative Jazz Septet. His discography includes 11 albums, including his 2021 solo debut, Palette of Feelings, which has been streamed online over 50,000 times.
Karolis Šarkus
