Vytautas Kurnickas studied at Panevezys Conservatoire in 1968–1972 and at Kaunas Juozas Gruodis Higher School of Music in 1974–1978; he studied at Lithuanian State Conservatoire (now Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre) with Prof. V. Daunoras in 1978–1984. He achieved recognition after having won National Competitions for Young Conductors and Performers (1973, 1978) and the Georg Ots International Competition in Tallinn (Estonia, 1982, diploma).

In 1984–1985, he was a soloist at Kaunas Musical Theatre, in 1985–1988, soloist at Klaipeda People’s Opera Theatre, in 1988–1996, soloist at Klaipeda Musical Theatre; since 1994 he has been a soloist at Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theatre (now Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre).
Kurnickas has toured USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Belgium and elsewhere.

Vytautas Kurnickas has created more than 20 parts for Klaipėda and Vilnius theatres. During various solo concerts he has performed Requiem by W.A. Mozart, A.Dvorak and G.Verdi, tenor parts in vocal and instrumental opuses by such composers as L.van Bethoven, A.Kaldar, A.Scriabin, B.Budriunas, J.Kacinskas, S.Simkus, J.Zilevicius and others. He is a singer of such ensembles as Uostamiesčio muzikantai, Ainiai, Zvelsa and Vakaras. Vytautas Kurnickas has organised poetry evenings of V.Bloze, V.Onaitis, J.Lapasinskas, V.Kazokas, P.Lembertas, J.Aistis, J.AJuragis and L.Simkute, music evenings of such composers as V.Klova, V.Kairiukstis, A.Belazaras, J.Stankunas, P.Balevicius, G.Gudauskiene, B.Budriunas and O.Metrikiene as well as music and poetry evenings dedicated to the Lithuanian ecology movement. Kurnickas has created over 200 songs and romances. He has published collections of his songs: To Lithuanian Nature (Lietuvos gamtai, 1995), Birch Groves in My Homeland (Tėviskes berzynai, 1997), The White Tale (Baltoji pasaka, 1998), To Mother (Mamai, 1999), To Father (Tevui, 2000), Following the Paths of Ancestors (Protėvių takas, 2001), Far Far Away… (Toli toli..., 2001), The Hour of the Moon (Menulio valanda, 2001), Home (Gimtine, 2002) and Youth (Jaunyste, 2002); he has recorded an audiotape Songs and Romances by American Lithuanian Composers (Amerikos lietuvių kompozitorių dainos ir romansai, 1996). Kurnickas has recorded over 200 vocal opuses by various composers for Lithuanian National Radio music archive.