HE is introducing the accordion to everyone across the world. And next week Martynas will be at The Henley Festival, playing in tents across the show ground on the banks of the River Thames.

Henley Festival will start next week on July 10 opening with the world famous The Beach Boys. Then across the week there will be Jamie Cullum, Madness, Joanna Lumley hosting a 007 night and Paloma Faith.

But as well as the headline acts there is plenty to enjoy on the rest of the site, including beautiful art, sumptuous food and 'street entertainment'.

Lithuanian accordion player, Martynas, will be delighting audiences with his music in the various tents across the venue billed as the "Roving Eccentrica."

He won Lithuania's Got Talent in 2010 and just this week released his first album with Decca called Martynas.

He said: "I am a classically trained accordionist. I finished at the Royal Academy of Music. My album showcases a lot of different approaches to music with the accordion from the Baroque period with Vivaldi, Bach... but there is also some contemporary pop tunes, played with a symphony orchestra."

It was a friend who suggested he tried covering pop songs which includes Lady Gaga's Telephone and Katy Perry's Hot n Cold.

He said of the album: "I am pleased. It has been quite a journey this year. It has been a life time experience for me because I never recorded this sort of album before. I learned a lot. I am happy. I will have to see if the audience is happy."

His first experience of music was watching a piano recital on TV when he was about four.

Martynas said: "My family couldn't afford to buy a piano so I got an accordion. I self taught for four years. When I was eight I started to go to school and I hated it.

"The accordion I knew by that time was very different to the accordion they were trying to teach. They were right of course. I had to relearn."

As he grew up he started picking up awards for his playing and studied hard.

In 2008 he went to the Royal Academy of Music in London and did a music degree, which he has just finished. In 2010 he came first in Lithuania's Got Talent.

He said: "It was great. I went on this show having a few ideas. I wanted to show a different accordion for people.

"Winning that show was a bridge to a new audience."

He said he would play every day if he could, and teaches a little when he has the chance.

Martynas said: "When you get used to the thing- you live with it. You can't imagine your life without it. It might sound quite cliché and banal. There are some days I don't touch it- it has been quite a few recently.

"I don't feel good about it."

He is also now Lithuania’s tourism ambassador and tries to promote his home country as much as possible.

He said: "They have really nice summers. I went there at the beginning of the week and it was 34 degrees C.

"It is really sunny- people who want to spend some nice time in reasonable prices they should go to Lithuania.

"If it is nice weather I don't think there is anything nicer to experience."

He now lives in London and after Henley he has plenty of concerts lined up.

He said: "I always tend to look forward. Looking back and being happy about achievements- it is the least important. The future is much more important- that is what I care for the most."

Henley Festival runs from July 10 to 14. Tickets range from £50 to £120. Car park tickets are £15. For more details go to www.henley-festival.co.uk

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