Ariya Laothitipong

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 achievement includes being chosen as 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 2021, Ariya is under the tutelage of Prof. 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 2013, the 1st Hongkong International Music Competition for Young Pianists 2014, First Prize at Yamaha Thailand Music Festival 2015 and 2017, 2nd Prize the 15th Osaka International Music Competition, 2nd Prize at the 6th ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition in Malaysia, 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. 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 and Asia International Piano Academy and Festival in Korea, 2015.

She is a former student at the Regent’s International School Bangkok as a music scholar on a ‘full-tuition’ scholarship.

You can find Ariya’s 2022 Winter Music Competition piano performance here.