Petras Bingelis, one of the most prominent musicians of modern Lithuania, has led the Kaunas State Choir since the very first practice session on the 23rd of October 1969. He was born on the 3rd of January 1943 in Mardasavas village, Varėna district municipality. From 1960 to 1964 he studied in the Vilnius J. Tallat-Kelpša music conservatory, from 1964 to 1969 - at the Lithuanian State Conservatory (now the Lithuanian National Academy of Music and Theatre). From 1975 to 1976 the conductor worked and was mentored by famous musicians Rolf Reuter and Kurt Masur at the Leipzig Conservatory.

From 1988 to 1989 he was the chief conductor of The Kaunas State Musical Theatre, where he conducted G. Verdi’s La Traviata and W. A. Mozart’s Don Giovanni. In 1987 and 1988 he was the art manager for the teatre.

The work of Maestro P. Bingelis was rewarded with the highest honor in Lithuania in 1993 - The Lithuanian National Prize. In 1995 he was awarded the 3rd degree order of Grand Duke Gediminas, in 2003 an award for work beneficial to Lithuania, in 2004 was chosen as the most memorable artist of Kaunas, in 2005 he was given the 1st degree Santaka honor sign for merits to Kaunas.

Every year, P. Bingelis prepares programs together with the Lithuanian National, State, Kaunas City Symphony and the Lithuanian State Chamber orchestras. From 1970 he is the chief conductor for The Lithuanian Song Celebrations festival, the music of which has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. He is also the founder and art manager for the music festival Pažaislis. In 1997 and 1998 he was the chief choirmaster for the international Vilnius Festival. He has been a lecturer at The Lithuanian National Academy of Music and Theatre since 1992, where he became a professor in 1996.