Cellist Julius Maknickas was born in Vilnius, into a large Lithuanian-American family where five of the six children play instruments. In 2024, together with his quartet (Zenith Quartet) colleagues he was selected to participate in a Side-by-Side project with the Czech Philharmonic orchestra and made concert tours in the Czech Republic, the US (Carnegie Hall) and Canada (Koerner Hall), performing with the soloists Yo-Yo Ma, Daniil Trifonov and Gil Shaham.

In June 2022 he made his concerto debut with the St Christopher Chamber Orchestra at St Catherine’s church in Vilnius. In June 2023 he was selected to perform for HRH The Princess Royal. Over the years from 2013 to 2022 Julius and his siblings have performed as “The Maknickas Family Young Musicians” at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.

Julius is actively participating in many cello festivals and competitions. In 2017 he took part in the Klaipeda International Cello Festival-Competition and received a diploma. In 2020 he participated at the International Anna-Kull cello competition in Graz. In 2022 Julius became a laureate of the National Balys Dvarionas Competition for Young Performers, taking two special prizes for interpretation and also that year took Third Prize at the 11th Raimundas Katilius Competition for Young Performers.

In December 2021 Julius was offered a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy of Music. He began his cello studies at the RAM under Professor Hannah Roberts in September 2022 and now is completing is last, 4^th year of Bachelor of Music degree.

Julius particularly enjoys performing with his siblings Ignas and Greta as “The Maknickas Family Trio”. He plays on a G. Grancino cello from 1695, generously loaned to him by Mr. Geoffrey Simon.