Born in Schreckenstein near Aussig, Lipka studied violin and viola in Erfurt and at the conservatories of the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar and the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig.
He won prizes at the international viola competitions in Markneukirchen, Budapest and Geneva.
In 1955, he became concertmaster at the Stadtorchester Eisenach [de] and was then principal violist of the MDR Sinfonieorchester from 1958 to 1963.
Lipka performed as a soloist and chamber musician in almost all European countries and in Japan and has conducted international master classes in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Great Britain, Finland and Greece.
He has recorded numerous works for his instrument for the disc, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician.