Education
1957-1963 studies in the Lithuanian Academy of Music;
1964-1968 skill building in Sankt Peterburg (Leningrad) Conservatoire, in clarinet classes of  Professors V. Gensler and V. Krasavin;
1970-1971 internship in Paris (tutor J. Lancelot);

Several decades recall creative activities of excellent artist, clarinetist and teacher Algirdas Budrys. Budrys finished his studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music in 1963. Then he took skill building courses in Sankt Peterburg Conservatoire and later with the famous clarinetist J. Lancelot in Paris. He had an opportunity to get acquainted with methods of various schools and peculiarities of interpretations of various styles.
"I attended lectures on aesthetics, rhythm and interpretation given by O. Messiaen, the course of the legendary N. Boulanger Analysis and Interpretation. Sessions with M. Deutsch (the pupil of A. Schoenberg) were very interesting: we used to analyze scores of modern music and search for links with classical music. I like to play modern music; new sound, unconventional exploration of the technical possibilities of an instrument and the necessity to find or to create my own model of interpretation attract me."

Job positions and creative activities
1958-1978 - soloist-concertmaster of the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra;
1964-1989 - the leader and member of the Wind Quintet of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic;
1986-1989 - Art Director of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic;
Since 1992 - Art Director of the Wind Instrument Orchestra Trimitas.

Intensive and varied are the creative activities of the virtuoso soloist, clarinetist Algirdas Budrys. More than 2,000 solo and chamber concerts were given in all main concert halls of the Soviet Union and in many countries of the world (USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway) during 45 years (Budrys gives concerts since 1958). A number of international music festivals in Moscow, Sankt Peterburg, Praha, Budapest and Kiev were also visited.
Listeners and critics admire virtuoso technique, nice sound of the instrument, good feeling of style, subtle artistic taste, intellect, creativity and strong-will of the artist. These qualities enabled the artist to cover not only the main solo creations for the clarinet but also a broad repertoire of various styles of chamber music from J. Stamitz to O. Mesiaen. Budrys knows French music excellently and he actively popularizes this music in Lithuania. He also popularizes modern music by Lithuanian and foreign composers. Thanks to Budrys music of clarinet is often heard in concert halls. A number of creations were written specially for Budrys and dedicated to him: Concertos of B. Gorbulskis and J. Juzeliūnas and various opuses of M. Lombardas, V. Barkauskas, N. Rakov, A. Rekašius, O. Balakauskas, A. Šenderovas and F. Bajoras. The larger part of his repertoire is recorded for the funds of the Lithuanian National Radio (more than 150 recordings) in seven solo and chamber LPs and in nine CDs.
Budrys often cooperates with various chamber ensembles and wind, chamber and symphonic orchestras. He has played with all internationally famous Lithuanian music ensembles and soloists, with Polish, Bulgarian, Belarusian and Ukrainian national, New Jersey symphony and Kansas City chamber orchestras and gave concerts conducted by B. Dvarionas, S. Sondeckis, J. Aleksa, J. Domarkas, M. Dvarionaitė, G. Rinkevičius (Lithuania), O. Durian (France), V. Valek (Czech Republic), Ch. Farncomb (Great Britain), R. Briscoe (USA) and others.
The ability to communicate and creativity enable the artist not only to make an organic whole with any ensemble but also to lead them. Budrys joined his colleagues to a quintet of wind instruments in 1964 and gave concerts with it for 25 years. From 1986 till 1989 he combined artistic and pedagogic activities with his position as the Art Director of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic. Budrys currently leads and gives concerts with the Lithuanian State Wind Instrument Orchestra Trimitas. This orchestra has won the name of the best wind instrument orchestra in many international festivals in Europe.

Pedagogic activities
Since 1963 - the teacher in the Lithuanian Academy of Music;
1972-1975 - professor-expert in the Cairo Higher National Conservatoire;
Since 1976 - the Head of the Wind Instrument Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Music;
Since 1985 - the professor.

A. Budrys is a teacher who constantly searches for new forms of teaching. His knowledge about methods of various clarinet schools of the world enabled him to form his principles of long-term pedagogic activities. The professor has taught a number of talented artists and teachers during four decades of pedagogic activities, heading the Wind Instrument Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and leading the class of clarinet. His pupils play in famous Lithuanian orchestras and teach not only in Lithuania but also in Russia, Egypt, Germany, USA and Israel. Among his pupils are winners of international concerts clarinetists A. Doveika, A. Taločka, A. Daukšys and P. Vyšniauskas - the well-known saxophonist, jazz player and the winner of National Premium.
Budrys is the initiator, organizer and the member of jury of the Young Wind Instrument Players competitions in Lithuania. He is often invited to be a member of juries at international competitions. He gave master classes in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, Great Britain (London University), USA (Indiana, De Pole and Cincinati universities) and France (Paris National Conservatoire). The professor shared his pedagogical and artistic knowledge in international congresses of clarinetists in London (Great Britain, 1984), Seatle (Washington, USA, 1988) and Quebec (Canada, 1990).

Awards
The professor clarinetist Algirdas Budrys is famous and talented artist, emeritus teacher, tireless promoter of modern creations of Lithuanian and foreign composers and the established virtuoso clarinetist of the world. He is among 40 best clarinetists of the world introduced in the book of Pamela Weston "Clarinet Virtuosi of Today". Artistic and pedagogic activities of A. Budrys are related to the thriving of wind instruments in Lithuania.
Professor Algirdas Budrys for his merits to Lithuanian culture and art was awarded with the Gediminas Order of the 4th degree in 1999 and received the premium of art of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

"Freedom and of ease of playing, subtle sense of style and ensemble playing, the beauty of the sound are the qualities <…> successfully joined together and characterizing the talented and creative performer."

J. Bruveris: Tiesa, 10-9-1971

"A. Budrys, a virtuoso player of the highest class, reminds you of a jeweller polishing a diamond. He produces a great variety of sound on his instrument to express a subtle gamut of shades of feeling - ranging from a radiant joy to a deep sorrow."

Antoine Gennaoui. Le Journal d'Egypte", 19-2-1973

"Budrys' manner of playing, his precise technique, a pleasant timbre and elegant phrasing can be best characterised in French: charmant and brilliant."

R. Gučas. the Literatūra ir Menas, 4-3-1978

"A. Budrys (especially in the famous Reverie) showed himself as an outstanding interpreter of lyric melodious compositions…"

F. Stegmaier. Der Teckbote, 12-10-2002

"…Budrys searched for individual contact. He wanted to prove the meaning of broad melodics and reserved dynamic plastic as if claiming that the authentic contents of a music text can be subtly conveyed with minimal comments of an interpreter…"

V. Markeliūnaitė. the 7 Meno Dienos, 8-2-2002

"Budrys, who is prone to philosophical highlighting of ideas in music, succeeded to make this creation (J. Brahms Quintet) forceful and collected. The interpretation in Part 2 of the Quintet and its sequential development moving to the expressive culmination will remain in our memory for a long time."

G. Dalinkevičius. Literatūra ir Menas, December 1976

"His tone showed the influence of his study with Jacques Lancelot, while his technical display, especially in the Kurpinski Concerto, and highly charged emotional approach were unequaled during the week. He also proved to be one of the friendliest and most gregarious of the Congress faculty."

J.Gillespie. The international clarinet congress. - The Clarinet, 1984, Vol.12 no.1