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Prof. Dr. Rolf Dieter Arens

Former Dean, Franz Liszt Hochschule, Weimar, Germany

1945 in Zinnwald geboren, erhielt Rolf-Dieter Arens mit fünf Jahren seinen ersten Klavierunterricht. Von 1963 bis 1968 studierte er an der Hochschule für Musik Leipzig Klavier bei Prof. H. Volger und Kammermusik bei Prof. L. Schuster. Außerdem nahm er an Meisterkursen bei Paul Badura-Skoda in Wien teil. Nach intensiver Lehrtätigkeit an den Musikhochschulen in Leipzig und Weimar in den Jahren 1970 bis 1986 wurde er 1986 als ordentlicher Professor für Klavier an die Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar berufen. Parallel dazu unternahm er bis 1991 als Solist des Berliner Sinfonieorchesters ausgedehnte Tourneen durch ganz Europa und spielte darüber hinaus als Solist und Kammermusiker in Europa, Asien und Südamerika. Er konzertierte u. a. mit den Dirigenten Kurt Masur, Herbert Blomstedt, Sir Neville Marriner und Marek Janowski. Neben der Ausrichtung von Meisterkursen in Japan und Südkorea wirkt Arens regelmäßig als Juror bei internationalen Wettbewerben in Bolzano, Budapest, Dublin, Santander, Utrecht, Weimar und Wien. Sein Schaffen ist in einer Fülle von Rundfunk- und TV-Aufnahmen sowie CD-Einspielungen dokumentiert.

Von 1993 bis 1999 sowie erneut seit 2007 ist Rolf-Dieter Arens zudem Künstlerischer Leiter der Sommermusikakademie Schloss Hundisburg. 1995 gründete er die Kammermusikvereinigung “Weimarer Solisten”.  Seit 2000 ist er Künstlerischer Leiter des Internationalen FRANZ LISZT Klavierwettbewerbs Weimar-Bayreuth. Seit 2006 wirkt Arens als Kuratoriumsmitglied in der NEUEN LISZT STIFTUNG WEIMAR. Von 2001 bis 2010 amtierte er als Rektor der Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar. Für seine Verdienste um den Künstler und Musikvisionär Franz Liszt wurde ihm 2011 der “Premio Liszt” in Grottamare (Italien) verliehen. Als Präsident der Kulturstiftung Leipzig war Rolf-Dieter Arens für die Einrichtung einer Wagner-Dauerausstellung in der Alten Nikolaischule in der Geburtsstadt des Komponisten mit verantwortlich, die im Mai 2013 eröffnet wurde. Im Jahr 2014 wurde Arens mit dem Thüringer Verdienstorden geehrt. Im Studienjahr 2014/15 übernimmt er eine Gastprofessur im Fach Klavier an der Mahidol University in Bangkok (Thailand).

Dr. Mahakit Lerdcheewanan

Brass and Percussion Department

• Room Number:
• Tel: 085-018-9181
• Email: mahakit.ler@mahidol.ac.th

Dr. Boonyarit Kittaweepitak, Euphonium

Brass and Percussion Department

• Room Number: D405.06
• Tel: (662) 800-2525-34 #4424
• Email: tee.euphonium@gmail.com

Dr. Boonyarit Kittaweepitak is an active euphonium soloist and a tenured professor of euphonium at the College of Music, Mahidol University, Thailand. Boonyarit is also one of the founder and music director of Mahidol University Brass Band. As a native of Thai, Boonyarit, sought musical experiences including various national and international competitions, solo and ensemble performances, teaching, as well as earning his music degrees, not only in Asia, but also in Europe and Northern America.

In 2020, he graduated with a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas under the instruction of Professor David Childs, and Dr. Brian Bowman from whom he took lessons, assisted, and worked alongside as a teaching fellow and Coordinator of UNT’s Tuba Euphonium Ensemble. He received a Master of Music degree from the Royal Northern College of Music in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Music degree from Mahidol University where he returned to teach. His primary teachers include Professor Steven Mead, and Kitti Sawetkittikul. Boonyarit began his euphonium studies at Assumption College, Thailand with Wichai Yongvanitjit and Jakkrit Ruenvuth in 1999.

As a soloist, Boonyarit was the first euphonium player who was invited to perform with Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. He appeared as a soloist with Blackburn and Darwen Brass Band in the UK and the Dallas Brass Band, where he received the Player of the Year award. Also, Boonyarit performed a duet with a euphonium virtuoso, Steven Mead, which was accompanied by the Desford Brass Band in Singapore's Brass Explosion Festival in 2012. Boonyarit was featured in several ensembles including, WASBE International Youth Wind, UNT Wind Symphony, RNCM Wind Orchestra, RNCM Brass Band, and Manchester University Brass Band.

Boonyarit was invited as a faculty member of Asia Tuba Euphonium Festival, which was held in South Korea (2018) and in Beijing, China (2019). Some of his colligate students have competed and received recognitions among prestigious national and international platforms including International Tube Euphonium Conference (ITEC) and Falcone Festival. Boonyarit devoted himself to teach students of all ages. He taught at several schools in Dallas-Fort Worth area, namely Hebron HS, Frisco HS, Liberty HS, and Independent HS.

Boonyarit is a member of Incite euphonium quartet that were invited to perform at Stephen F. Austin, University of Memphis, University of Alabama, U of A at Birmingham, and ITEC regional at Kennesaw State University and University of Kentucky in 2020. Boonyarit is also a member of fLOW Quartet, the winner of the SCRTEC 2017. fLOW successfully went on a tour in Japan with a number of performances and masterclasses in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Saitama, and Yamaguchi. fLOW quartet has released 4 Dreams: The Quartet of Yuji Ono in January 2019, which is available to download on Spotify and iTunes. Moreover, Boonyarit was also a member of E-Tan Quartet (Thailand). The quartet performed at Sydney International Brass Festival in Australia, as well as Tuba Mania International Festival in Thailand. The quartet was featured at the Gala concert of ITEC 2012 in Austria.

Dr. Boonyarit Kittaweepitak is a Besson performing artist and performs on a Besson Prestige BE2052 Euphonium.

Jaruda Tirachomsri

Piano Department

• Room Number: PC404.08
• Phone: (662) 8002525-34 ##5479
• Email: jaruda.tir@mahidol.ac.th , jaruda.tira@gmail.com

Born in 1993 in Bangkok, Thailand, Jaruda received her undergraduate degree in Piano Performance at Silpakorn University under the instruction of Prof.Jamorn Supapol. During her undergraduate, Jaruda was a Teaching assistant for an Aural Training class. She was also selected to play in numerous number of concerts with other universities in Bangkok and coordinated recital programs. She has attended and performed in several masterclasses and private class that include those of Dr.Peter Amstutz, Rebecca Penneys, and Mitra Alice Tham. Upon graduation, Jaruda started her master’s degree at West Virginia University in Piano performance with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy under Dr.Peter Amstutz and Dr.Lucy Mauro. Jaruda was also an active member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).

Jaruda also participates in Jaques-Dalcroze Teacher Training program at Mahidol University as well as Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Program at George Mason University level I and II, where she received the scholarship from The Orff Schulwerk Scholarship Panel. Apart from that, she was also an interpreter at 3 days Orff workshop with Donna Fleetwood in Thailand by MMTT.

Jaruda has also served as a judge in several piano competitions including SET Youth Music Competition, Young Artist Music Contest, Osaka International Music Competition (Bangkok regional round), Thailand National Youth Contest 2019, and SET Youth Music Competition.

Jaruda joined the College of Music at Mahidol University in 2018 as a keyboard adjunct faculty, teaches keyboard skills, keyboard harmony, piano for non-piano major, and small ensemble.  Jaruda currently becomes a full-time YAMP based piano instructor in 2019.