Professional Piano Lessons by Aek สอนเปียโน ดนตรี

Greetings from Aek, Classical Pianist, Music Theorist, and Educational Partner of Steinway & Sons with over 15 years' experience of teaching music to both domestic and international students.

I specialise in teaching music at advanced levels and accept only those seeking to undertake music seriously at the international standard. The following are the teaching services that I currently offer:

Piano (grade 5+), Music Theory (grade 5+), and English (B1 or above).

***Please note that prospective students are required to meet the minimum criteria set before any lessons can be arranged. The minimum criteria include having grade 5 in piano or music theory (depending on the subject of study the student wishes to pursue) OR an equivalent experience of no fewer than 5 years if music exams were never taken, PLUS note-reading ability that is deemed acceptable for their respective grades. In case of English, a brief interview shall be conducted prior to the commencement of the class to ensure that the students have sufficient background in order to effectively keep up with the intensity of the lessons.***

***Please note that I do NOT offer online or door-to-door teaching services. Students who wish to study from me will need to travel to my residence near BTS Saphan Khwai.***

Please scroll to the end to see additional information on the resources available and lesson fees.

My Education

-PhD in Music, University of Cambridge, UK (currently studying part-time)
-MMus in Musicology, (awarded with Merit) King's College London, UK
-BFA in Western Music (Piano Performance), First-Class Honours with Gold Medal, 4.0 GPAx, Faculty of Fine Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
-High School Diploma (Math-English), Triamudomsuksa School, Thailand

My Work Experience

-Educational Partner, Steinway & Sons
-Examiner-in-training, London College of Music
-Piano Instructor, Peterson Music Institute
-President of Wolfson College Music Society, Cambridge, UK
-Lecturer in Music Theory & Recital Project, PGVIM
-Guest Lecturer in Music Analysis (Master's Level) at Music Department, Chulalongkorn University
-Representative for Music Department at Chulalongkorn University Academic Fair 2013
-Undergraduate Teaching Assistant in 20th Century Music Theory, Chulalongkorn University

Diplomas & Certificates

-FLCM in Piano Performance, University of West London (first person in Thailand)
-LMusTCL (with Distinction) in Music Literacy, Trinity College London (first person in Thailand)
-LLCM (approved with upper level) in Piano Performance, University of West London (first person in Thailand)
-DipABRSM in Piano Performance, The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
-ATCL in Piano Performance, Trinity College London
-Graded exams (8 and below) both in Theory and Piano, from both ABRSM and Trinity
-IELTS 8.5 (C2 equivalent)

Awards

-Steinway & Sons Educational Partner
-Chulalongkorn University Gold Medal
-Chulalongkorn University Plaque of Academic Excellence
-London College of Music Honorary Plaque
-Trinity College London Honorary Plaque
-Certificates and Scholarships of Remarkable Educational Progress, Thammasat University Savings and Credit Cooperative
-Triamudomsuksa School Honorary Award
-Certificate of Achievement, College of Music, Mahidol University and Stock Exchange of Thailand
-Hedy King Robinson Prize for Excellence in Music Theory

Experience as a Classical Pianist

My piano lessons started when I was five years old, with Mrs Pradab Prasomsub, who taught me until I was around 12. Since then, I've had the honour of studying under many other notable teachers, including Mrs Mokoto Funakoshi, Ms Sumida Ansvananda, Mr Takerng Amornruji, Mr Dan Golden, Mrs Nalinee Dhamabutra, Professor Narongrit Dhamabutra (National Artist), and Professor Tongsuang Israngkun na Ayutthaya (Bösendorfer Artist and President of Chopin Society Thailand). It was under the supervision of Professor Israngkun that I was awarded the highest level of diploma in piano performance (FLCM) from London College of Music, making me the first person in Thailand to achieve this feat. Moreover, during my postgraduate years, I have had opportunities to undertake further piano lessons under Dr Rob Keeley at King's College London and Mr Colin Stone at the Royal Academy of Music.

I have given public recitals at Das Goethe Institut, Wolfson College Lee Hall Cambridge, University of Cambridge Faculty of Music, King's College London, Tongsuang's Studio (Sukhumvit Soi 3), Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Fine Arts, Chulalongkorn University Arts & Cultural Centre, Mahidol University Music Auditorium, LCM Award, Thai Air Force, and others. Furthermore, my solo piano performance had been broadcasted by Radio Thailand World Service FM 88.0 MHz under the programme called 'New Blood' throughout July of 2014.

Experience as a Music Theorist

My serious theoretical training commenced under the guidance of Professor Narongrit Dhamabutra when I was 16 years old, even though my first theory lesson technically started along with my first piano class when I was five. Under the instruction of Professor Dhamabutra, in 2013, I was the first person in Thailand to have been awarded the Licentiate Diploma in Music Theory & Literacy (with Distinction) from Trinity College London.

At the age of 18, I achieved not only the highest score for music theory entrance examination at Chulalongkorn University, but also the highest overall score for the entrance examination to the Faculty of Fine Arts in that year. It was the latter fact which prompted my high school, Triamudomsuksa School, to grant me an honorary plaque to celebrate such occasion.

Academically speaking, I've had the privilege to study music history under Associate Professor Sasi Pongsarayuth; piano literature & pedagogy under Associate Professor Panjai Chulapan; Schenkerian Analysis under Dr Jiradej Setapandu; counterpoint under Professor Natchar Pancharoen; conducting under Professor Tongsuang Israngkun na Ayutthaya; and 20th-century music theory & composition under Professor Narongrit Dhamabutra. After graduation with 4.00 GPAx from Chulalongkorn University (first person since the faculty's establishment in 1983), I pursued my postgraduate studies at King's College London, and University of Cambridge, UK, respectively. At King's, I was taught advanced 20th-century music analysis by Professor Silvina Milstein; performance criticism by Professor Daniel Leech-Wilkinson; jazz criticism by Dr Fredericke Moehn; 18th-century musical critiques by Professor Matthew Head; Aesthetics by Professor Sacha Golob; and musical issues during 20th-century modernism by Dr Polina Tambakaki. My master's dissertation, titled '(Re)evaluating Réti,' offers a novel perspective in Rudolf Réti's theory of thematic process in music, and was supervised by Dr Michael Fend. Currently, I am undertaking part-time studies for PhD in Music at the University of Cambridge under the external supervision of Professor Julian Horton. My PhD thesis investigates the cyclic procedures in the instrumental music of Arnold Schoenberg.

My composition 'Fantasy on Locrian Mode' for piano solo was premièred by myself at Chulalongkorn University in 2012, but later performed publicly at Trinity Award Ceremony at Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre by Mr Wasin Prasertlarp in 2013.

My orchestration piece of Ms Vichayani Piaklin 'Just One Word' was performed at Faculty of Fine Arts, Chulalongkorn University.

Experience in English Language

I received IELTS score of 8.5 overall, or C2 equivalent (native speaker level) since the first time I took the exam. English has been my second language since birth - I enrolled in Bangkok Christian College's Intensive English Programme from an early age prior to moving to Triamudomsuksa School. Furthermore, I've had private lessons with an IELTS specialist for over nine years, undertaking Advanced English, Intensive English Grammar, IELTS preparation course, and Academic Writing during that time. Finally, I've had experiences studying in the United Kingdom for over five years during my postgraduate studies in London and Cambridge.

Academic Work

Key publications:

Aekaputra, S. 'Cyclic Procedures in the Instrumental Music of Arnold Schoenberg.' PhD Thesis, Julian Horton (supervisor), University of Cambridge (in progress.)

_______. '(Re)evaluating Réti.' MMus Dissertation, Michael Fend (supervisor), King's College London, 2015.

Other publications:

Academic Articles

Zen Zen Zense: Thematic Integrity and Recollection in Radwimps' Your Name. Published in December 2017 on LinkedIn.

Berg's Sonata op. 1: Analysis. King's College London, 2015.

The Right Step?: On Jazz Graded Music Exams. King's College London, 2015.

Only Connect: Human Relationships, Love, and Music in E. M. Forster's Howards' End. King's College London, 2015.

Artist's Authority. King's College London, 2014.

Musical Policing in Diploma Examinations. King's College London, 2014.

Vivaldi's Picturesque. King's College London, 2014.

Total Serialism and Indeterminate Music. Published in March 2014 (Volume 1, No. 1) on Journal of Fine and Applied Arts (JFAA), Chulalongkorn University.

Haydn's Last Five Piano Sonatas: Their Influences on Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Published in December 2013 (Volume 8, No. 2) on Music Journal, Conservatory of Music, Rangsit University.

An Analysis of Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire: Colombine. Published in November 2013 (Volume 19, No. 3) on Music Journal, College of Music, Mahidol University.

An Analysis of Haydn's Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI: 52 (in Thai Language). Published in December 2015 (Volume 7, No. 2) on Journal of Fine and Applied Arts, Khon Kaen University.

Non-Academic Articles

Inception: Life, Death, Dreams, Reality. Published in June 2018 on LinkedIn.

Zootopia: A Film Theory of Gender. Published in February 2018 on LinkedIn.

Ponyo Makes Sense! Published in September 2016 on LinkedIn.

The Little Prince (2015) Film Theory. Published in September 2016 on LinkedIn.

***My working hours start from 17.00 onwards, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Mostly I teach about 90 minutes per session, with an option to increase to 120 minutes upon request, or decrease to 60 minutes in case that the student's age is below 15.***

***Tuition fees depend on the student's level, but start from 1400 THB per 60 minutes. I do not accept other payment methods other than cash. Group sessions are normally not allowed for piano, but *may* be considered in case of theory and English, provided that the students in that group are of similar levels.***

My residence is located near BTS Saphan Khwai (within 7 minutes' walk from the station). Piano students have the benefit of performing on my 7-foot Boston grand piano (designed by Steinway & Sons; the model GP-215 are normally intended for medium-sized concert halls) along with nearly all important printed music by key composers from various world-class publishers, and over 1000 music cds ready for reference on Yamaha surround amplifier and speakers. Theory students, on the other hand, can benefit from a wide collection of my academic books on music.

The following subjects are the ones that I do *not* offer teaching services.

-CU-TEP & TU-GET
-Ear Training
-Basic Music Theory
-Pop/Jazz/Rock
-Singing
-Electric Keyboard
-Period Instruments
-Chorus
-Conducting
-Music Production
-Music Technology
-Notation Programmes/Applications