Ariya Laothitipong - 19 (Thailand)
REPERTOIRE
Frédéric Chopin;
Mazurka in D flat major, Op. 30, #3
Fantasy in F minor Op. 49
Nocturne in B major, Op. 62, #1
Etude in C sharp minor, Op. 10, #4
Etude in G flat major Op. 10, #5
Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22
Born in 2004, Ariya Laothitipong became one of the most acknowledged young Thai pianists after winning first prize at the 5th International Franz Liszt Competition for Young Pianists in Weimar, Germany. She was the first-ever Thai pianist to win this prestigious piano competition.
Following her international success in Germany, Ariya won second prize (no first prize awarded) along with the Press Prize and the Audience Prize from the International Piano Competition 2018 in Enschede, Netherlands. In the same year, she won first prize in the 4th Thailand Steinway Youth Piano Competition. Her achievements include being chosen as a finalist of The New York International Piano Competition 2022 (NYIPC) by The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation, a participant at the Hilton Head International Piano Competition 2020 and the 2019 Van Cliburn Junior International Piano Competition in Dallas, Texas, USA.
Ariya started her piano lessons at the age of 4. She was a student of Dr. Pornphan Banternghansa and Dr. Christopher Janwong McKiggan at the Piano Academy of Bangkok. Since August 2021, Ariya has been under the tutelage of Christopher Harding. From an early age, she has won numerous awards from national and international competitions, including first prize at Trinity College London National Youth Piano Competition, the Hong Kong International Music Competition for Young Pianists, first prize at Yamaha Thailand Music Festival 2015 and 2017, 2nd prize at the 15th Osaka International Music Competition, 2nd prize at the 6th ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition, 2nd prize at the Princess Galyani Vadhana International Ensemble Competition 2015, 2nd prize at the Euregio Piano Award 2021, Audience Prize at the Canada International Piano Competition, Gold Medal at the Asia International Piano Academy & Festival in Korea 2015, 2nd prize at the Final Beethoven Competition for young string players and pianists 2017, and the 17th-21st SET Youth Musician Competitions.
Ariya also performs actively as a soloist and chamber musician. Since 2021, Ariya has been a pianist of Trio Matisse, where she has been under the tutelage of Amy I-Lin Cheng. Their most recent achievements include being the first prize winner of the Southern Illinois Young Artist Organization 2023, first prize winner at the Briggs Chamber Music Competition 2022, the Grand Prize winner of the New York International Young Musician Competition 2022, second place at MTNA Chamber Music Competition, the Kronos Award at the Glass City Chamber Music Competition and a competitor in the 49th Fischoff Competition. She has been featured as a soloist with many orchestras. Those include the Staatskapelle Weimar, Musikgynnasium Belvedere, Pro Musica String Ensemble, and Thai Youth Orchestra. She also participated in multiple music festivals such as the Sicily International Piano Festival 2019, Asia International Piano Academy and Festival in Korea, and the Aspen Music Festival 2023 under the tutelage of Hung-Kuan Chen.
Ariya is currently a student at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where she has been awarded a music scholarship.