Given the question: Read the bio below and try to give details on vestards Simkus 's: - years active - origin - genre - birth date - name - background - occupation Bio: vestards Simkus -lrb- born in jurmala , august 21 , 1984 -rrb- is a latvian pianist and composer . he won the 2001 international performers competition in stockholm , the 2002 los angeles ' liszt competition and the 2009 maria canals international music competition , and was awarded the latvian grand music award in 2002 . he has performed through europe and the united states since 1998 . Simkus started to play piano in age of 5 . he studied in emils darzins music school in riga . later he studied in university of southern california under daniel pollack . he also has studied under lazar berman and igor zhukov . in 2002 -- 06 he studied in queen sophia music academy in madrid under professor dmitri bashkirov . after bashkirov 's invitation in 2003 he also participated in his master class in savonlinna , finland . Simkus also has studied composition for five years under peteris vasks . today he continues his studies in r. strauss conservatory in munich under vadim suhanov . in 2012 Simkus married the opera singer elina volkmane . he was decorated the order of the white star in 2005 .
The answer is:
- years active is 1990s --- origin is jurmala , latvian ssr- genre is classical music- birth date is 21 august 1984- name is vestards Simkus- background is non_performing_personnel- occupation is composer , pianist