Career Highlights
Piyawat Louilarpprasert is a Thai composer and interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersection of sound, visual arts, and technology. He is currently a Dean of the College of Music, Mahidol University. His compositions blend musical and non-musical elements, and he is internationally recognized for his innovative approach to contemporary music. Piyawat has received numerous prestigious international commissions and awards, including the Münchener Biennale Munich Commission (Germany), Musica nova Helsinki with the Helsinki Philharmonic (Finland), the Fromm Foundation Commission from Harvard University (USA), a commission from Hellerau – European Center for the Arts (Dresden), and support from the International Coproduction Fund (IKF) of the Goethe-Institut (Berlin/Bangkok). He is also the recipient of the ISCM/Asian Composer League Prize (New Zealand), a residency at Südwestrundfunk (SWR) Experimentalstudio (Freiburg), and invitations to major festivals such as MATA Festival (New York) and Mizzou Composer Festival (Missouri, USA). His accolades include the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award (2018, 2020, 2021), the Fritz Gerber Award and a commission from the Lucerne Festival (Switzerland), as well as recognition from institutions such as the British Council, Pro Helvetia, Japan Foundation, and more.
In 2017, Piyawat was selected as Composer-in-Residence by KulturKontakt Austria, the Austrian Federal Chancellery, and Music Austria. In 2019, he was profiled by CNN World News in the “Young and Gifted” series. In 2021, he was commissioned by the historic Donaueschinger Musiktage festival to write a new piece in celebration of its 100th anniversary. In 2024, he received another Fromm Foundation Commission from Harvard. Most recently, he has been awarded two of the highest honors in contemporary music: the Ernst von Siemens Ensemble Prize—widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in contemporary music, considered the “Nobel Prize” for music—with a monetary award of €75,000, which he received alongside his ensemble Tacet(i), and a commission for the Pierre Boulez 100th Anniversary, where he will compose a new work for the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in Switzerland.
His music has been performed in over 30 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America, at festivals such as Darmstadt Summer Course (Germany), Lucerne Festival (Switzerland), Time of Music – Musiikin Aika (Finland), European Creative Academy (France), Saint Petersburg New Music Festival (Russia), KulturKontakt Residency (Vienna), Gaudeamus Muziekweek (Netherlands), China–ASEAN Music Week (China), Mozart of Tomorrow (UK), Musica y Arte: Correspondencias Sonoras (Spain), Asian Composers League (Japan), and Dian Red Kechil Young Composers Residency (Singapore), among others. He has collaborated with leading ensembles and orchestras such as Tacet(i), Arditti Quartet, Alarm Will Sound, Berlin Philharmonic Horn Section, American Composers Orchestra, Aguascalientes Symphony Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, Yarn/Wire, Wet Ink, Lucerne Alumni Ensemble, Orkest Ereprijs, Oerknal!, Switch Ensemble, ASEAN Contemporary Ensemble, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, and many others.
Piyawat earned his Bachelor’s degree in Composition with honors from College of Music, Mahidol University, his Master’s degree from the Royal College of Music in London (where he received the Charles Stewart Richardson Award), and his Doctorate in Composition and Sound Studies from Cornell University, supported by the Sage Fellowship and Telluride Fellowship. Since 2022, he has served as a Visiting Professor at Cornell, and from 2023-25, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Composition at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio. His teaching philosophy plays a key role in academic leadership, curriculum design, and interdisciplinary collaboration, further strengthening his qualifications in educational and institutional development.
In addition to his artistic achievements, Piyawat is a highly experienced arts administrator and cultural leader. He is the Founding Artistic Director of the IntAct Festival and Thailand New Music and Arts Symposium, which present groundbreaking interdisciplinary works to over 2,000 attendees annually at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Over the past 7 years, these festivals have become vital platforms for contemporary arts in Southeast Asia, supporting young artists, international exchange, and artistic innovation. As Director of the Thailand Music and Arts Organization (TMAO) for 8 years, he has curated educational programs, commissioned works, and led community engagement initiatives. He also founded the Southeast Asia New Music and Arts Foundation (SANMA), a regional initiative that promotes intercultural exchange and capacity-building for emerging ASEAN artists. Through these organizations, Piyawat has raised substantial funding through competitive grants, managed multi-venue international events, led educational workshops, and developed long-term collaborations with embassies, universities, and government bodies.
As the founder of Tacet(i) Ensemble, a leading voice in Southeast Asia’s contemporary music scene, he has championed over 50 new works annually and positioned Thailand as a regional hub for artistic excellence.
In all of his roles—as artist, educator, and administrator—Piyawat exemplifies visionary leadership, cultural advocacy, and a deep commitment to the development of Thailand’s creative infrastructure. His diverse experience makes him exceptionally qualified for a senior leadership position, as Dean of the College of Music at Mahidol University, where he would continue to inspire, guide, and elevate the next generation of music professionals in Thailand and beyond.
