Friends Trancend Generations

Omporn Kowintha began her violin lessons with Prof. Choochart Pitaksakorn at the age of thirteen. She participated in the Thai Youth Orchestra and became its concertmaster from 1994 to 1996. In 1997, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree with Honors in Music Education from Chulalongkorn University. From 1998 to 1999, she received a scholarship from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, which enabled her to study with Michael Ma. In 2000, Omporn went to the United States, where she studied violin with Kathryn Lucktenberg and Fritz Gearhart at the University of Oregon. During this time, she also studied Suzuki Violin Pedagogy with Shelley Rich and worked as a violin instructor in the Suzuki Program at the Community Music Institute of the University of Oregon. She received her Master’s Degree in Violin Performance and Pedagogy in 2003.

Performing on both violin and viola, Omporn has participated in many chamber music ensembles and orchestras in Thailand, including the Glom Piano Quartet, Bangkok String Quartet, the Artist Ensemble of Bangkok, and Pro Musica Orchestra. She also founded her own chamber music series, “Om and Friends,” which has presented regular chamber music concerts since 2018. In addition, she is one of the most sought-after violin instructors in Thailand. Omporn founded the first Suzuki Studio in Thailand, called “Omri Music Studio,” and is a founding board member of the Thailand Association for Talent Education.

Miti Wisuthumporn has forged a career as one of the leading violists of his generation in Thailand, performing on international concert stages, commissioning and recording new works, and nurturing young musicians. Currently a principal violist of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Miti received reviews such as “Miti played the central section’s exposed solo with admirable nerve and control.”(Bangkok Post). His appearances as concert soloist have included the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, the Pro Musica and the Chulalongkorn University String Orchestra. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with the members of the Pro Musica, Bangkok String Quartet, as well as Andres Cardenes, Thomas Hampson, Clive Greensmith, Roeland Hendrikx and many others.

Dedicated to introducing classical music to a broader audience in Thailand, Miti worked with five fellow musicians to form the JEEB Ensemble. The ensemble sought to present core classical music repertoire in funky ways that reached a wider audience. It proved to be popular – the JEEB Ensemble held sold-out music festivals in 2013 and 2017, had a China tour in 2018, launched Thailand’s first digitally-streamed classical music album distributed by Universal Music amidst COVID-19, and will soon launch its third festival.

Miti began violin studies at age 14 and switched to the viola at the age of 15 while studying with Ajarn Chaiwat Buranamanas and the National Artist Asst Prof Col Choochart Pitaksakorn. From 2014 to 2008, he received a full-scholarship to study at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore under the tutelage of Jiri Heger, and between 2008 and 2010, received a full-scholarship to complete master degree at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he studied with distinguished American violists –Toby Appel, Joen Vasquez and Maureen Gallargher. Later he moved to Europe for further studies with Matthias Maurar, former viola soloist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra at the University of Music and Performing Art Graz, Austria.

Miti is currently a viola lecturer at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts and Faculty of Music Education – Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Humanities – Kasetsart University and Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music.

Anna Takeda is a violinist who has performed with various orchestras and chamber groups. She studied at Senzoku College of Music in Japan, where she earned a Bachelor of Music, and at the Manhattan School of Music in New York for her Master of Music.

She has been a soloist with orchestras such as the National Cuban Symphony Orchestra, the Vietnam National Opera & Ballet Orchestra, the ASEAN Symphony orchestra, the Bangkok Charity Orchestra, and the Thai Youth Orchestra. Her other collaborations include work with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Stage Quartet, and the Apple Hill Quartet.

Takeda has a history of winning competitions, including a national contest in Thailand for three consecutive years and the top prize at the Osaka International Music Competition in Japan. She began playing the violin at age five and won a violin competition organized by the Australian Music Examination Board in Thailand at the age of 10.

Kunut pursued advanced musical studies internationally, graduating with a master’s degree in Cello performance from Brussels, Belgium. His education also includes studies at the Royal College of Music (RSCM) and RCB.

A highly skilled classical cellist, Kunut performs in various concerts and ensembles, often featuring classical repertoire such as Bach’s Cello Suites. He has participated in international programs and collaborated with other notable musicians. In addition to his performance career, he works as a music educator and teacher.

Kunut is also known for his crossover work, arranging and performing pop hits in a cello style. He has collaborated on tracks like “นับหนึ่ง (From now on)” with artist Billkin, which has garnered significant attention. He regularly participates in music festivals and concerts, including Cello Soundscape events and other ensemble performances across Thailand.

Prawwanitsita Neesanant, born in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, began studying double bass at age 16 with Mr. Patsakorn Intarasombat and later with Mr. Pongsathorn Surapab. She holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Western Music Performance from Chulalongkorn University. A versatile performer, she has appeared with leading ensembles including the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Thai Symphony Orchestra, and international groups such as the Sun Symphony Orchestra (Vietnam) and Symphoniker Hamburg (Martha Argerich Festival 2024). She currently serves as Principal Double Bass of Siam Sinfonietta and SoleOrchestra.

Prawwanitsita has toured across Asia, Europe, and the U.S., and has performed with a wide range of artists—from orchestras to pop/rock bands like Bodyslam and Zweed n’ Roll. Her awards include First Prize at the Summa Cum Laude Festival 2016 and Second Prize at PGVIEC 2019. As a soloist, she has performed in several featured concerts and actively teaches at St. Andrew International School and the Bangkok Metropolitan Youth Orchestra Camp. She is currently a member of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, an on-call musician with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, and a sought-after freelance artist.