“Vestards Šimkus is something special! He has an inimitable personality, self-confidence and brilliant technique. Some people can talk about the end of classical music, but when you hear Šimkus play, you can be sure – classical music is doing quite well,” – Paavo Järvi, the Estonian Grammy Award-winning conductor. Vestards Šimkus gained international recognition after winning several competitions, including winning 1st place at the Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona (2009).