Junta Arakawa was born in Japan and began learning early childhood music education and playing piano at Yamaha Music School. Although he stopped playing piano when he was 16, he still enjoyed playing tuba in the brass band at Nihon University Mishima High School. In a result, he chose to play trombone in the jazz and fusion club at Nihon University while studying International Relations as his major. John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” gave him a great impact to make him play piano again in the club. The combo mainly transcribed and played Tower of Power, Fourplay, and Jazz Messengers.
After he experienced summer exchange program at St. Norbert College, WI, USA, he determined to transferred there, although other strong reason was Hideo Nomo. Until he met his piano teacher, Elaine Moss, he majored in Business Administration but continued playing trombone in the concert band and piano in the jazz band. As majoring in Piano Performance, he won the 2nd prize from both Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition and Lakeshore Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition in 2002. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance and Business Minor from St. Norbert College, WI, USA in 2003. Great appreciation to Marshall Moss, Michael Rosewall, Jenny and Jason Leist, as well as Candace Bishop, because of them specially to make Junta have a great music experience and student life.
He enrolled in Wichita State University, KS, USA as a full-scholarship Graduate Teaching Assistant, studied with Paul Reed and received his Master’s Degree in Piano Performance in 2006. Suzanne Reed was his English adviser.
He moved to Thailand to be a full-time lecturer at School of Music, Assumption University in 2006, and taught piano, music theory, music history, ear training, form & analysis, music of human life, and music ensemble, as well as organized solo plus ensemble concerts, and performed with many musicians in Thailand and Japan. He was the chairperson of Department of Music Business, School of Music, Assumption University. Throughout performing together, not only Paulo Zereu became one of his influential pianists, but also various artists like Kyoko Abe, Noriko Tsuboi, and Yayoi Morita especially shared their artistic philosophical mind and creative ideas with him.
Junta is currently a full-time piano lecturer at YAMP, College of Music, Mahidol University since 2016 and has also been working as a coordinator for agreements and exchanges for International Relations Unit since 2022. His hobbies are reading Japanese historical novels and manga, as well as watching sports news, Japanese drama series and anime. He is crazy about Gundam, Fishdom, and Shohei Ohtani.
