Damrih Banawitayakit

Active as a music composer, arranger and orchestrater, Damrih Banawitayakit also a very productive in conducting. His conducting performances are included musical ensembles such as New Siam Wind Orchestra, Metropole Stage Orchestra, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and Dreambox Stage Orchestra @MTheatre and etc. He also appears as a guest conductor for the musical theatre: The Kiss of the Spider Woman in 2001 (Theatre 28 Production); Koogum the musical in 2005 (Dreambox Production); Incidental Music for the Chinese Melodrama, The Story of Butterfly Lovers in 2006; Man of La Mancha at Ratchadalai Theatre in June 2008 (Co-production of Theatre 28 and Scenario); Kurt Weil’s The Three Penny Opera in 2009 (Nuni Production); And the production produced by Dreambox such as Mae Nak the Musical in 2008, Nam Sai Jai Jing The Musical in 2010, and Fame The Musical in 2011.

Damrih Banawitayakit has serve as the principal oboist of Bangkok Symphony Orchestra for 17 years. Prior to that, Mr. Damrih was a principal oboist of the Ibycus Chamber Orchestra since the age of eighteen, he began studying the oboe with Mr. Michael Hager from Germany in 1983. Later on he studied with Mr. Sampao Tri-udom at Chulalongkorn University, with Ms. Rhonda May at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and Mr. Peter Cooper, the principal oboist of Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Asian Youth Orchestra Summer Camp. In 1994, Damrih has awarded the full schorlarship to study with Mr. John J. Dee, the principal oboist of the Florida Philharmonic Orcheatra, at the University of Miami and the Harid Conservatory. With love and passion in music theory, he has attended the classes of Dr. Thomas McKinley from Harid Conservatory and Dr. Paul Wilson from University of Miami and studied composition with Mr. Bruce Gaston of Fongnaam Thai Contemporary Music Ensemble. At UM he also studied conducting with Mr. Thomas Sleeper. He has attended the masterclass and private lessons with John Mack, principal oboist of Cleveland Orchestra; Joseph Robinson, principal oboist of New York Philharmonic; and Richard Woodham, principal oboist of Philadelphia Orchestra.

Damrih Banawitayakit a full time lecture at Faculty of Music Silpakorn University, the musical director of Feroci Philharmonic Wind Orchestra. Recently he have very active in music composing and ensemble directing. He used to serve as the Vice President of Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music, the Dean of Music at Silpakorn University. His latest compositions in the last few years are including The River of Thai Kingdom; Symphonic Tribute to the Late King; and The Living Lines of Tiges 2018, inspired by the series of paintings by HRH Princess Chulabhorn.

Damrih has recently received “Silpatorn Thai Contemporary Artist Award 2023”, the highest honor as an outstanding Thai contemporary artist from Ministry of Culture, Thailand.

• The program note was provided to Thai Wind Composers by the composer.