Vajirawitch Punyalak
Born in a family of musicians, Vajirawitch was destined to become a musician and a music lover ever since childhood. He began his music education with Malinee Laohitkul at the age of 8 by joining Wat Amarintraram School’s band. At the same time, he studied fundamental keyboard playing with his grandfather, Somchai Panyaluck. Later on, he continued practicing electone at Siamkolakarn Music Academy in Electone School for Children (ESC) Course until Grade 8 with Sathaporn Kummongkol.
While attending high school at Wat Bavornnivet School, he joined the school's marching band and became the bandmaster. This was his first experience as a conductor.
After graduating from Wat Bavornnivet School, he began to study cello performance with Siripong Keetasilpsakul at Aum-Aree Music School until he was accepted into the Faculty of Humanity, Kasetsart University. While studying at Kasetsart, he had an opportunity to study cello performance with Panadda Permpanich, Andrew Hili and Martin Grund.
During that time, he also consistently joined Kasetsart Symphony Orchestra and Kasetsart String Orchestra and was selected as the principle of cello section. After his graduation, he was invited to be a guest lecturer at the Faculty of Music and Dramatic Arts, Ratchamongkol Institute. Moreover, he was assigned to be a member of the Curriculum Development and Improvement Committee of the College of Music, Mahidol University.
He also continued performing the cello in various orchestras such as the Bangkok Metropolitan Orchestra, Kasetsart Symphony Orchestra, Chulalongkorn University Symphony Orchestra, and Viola Lovers (C.U. Viola Ensemble). Moreover, he kept studying to acquire more musical knowledge. He entered conducting workshops with Koji Kawamoto, Jeannine Wagar and Bundit Ung-Rungsee. Nowadays, he’s extending his knowledge in harmony and Music History by taking courses with Surat Kemaleelakul and taking a course on interpretation for conducting with Asst. Prof. Maj. Chuchart Pitaksakorn.
In the field of conducting, he began studying fundamental conducting with Asst. Prof. Maj. Chuchart Pitaksakorn at Kasetsart University and practiced conducting at The Bangkok Rosary Church String Orchestra for 4 years. After graduating, he has continued to conduct on a regular basis. One of his proudest moments was the opportunity to conduct the Bangkok Philharmonic Orchestra for the "Bok Rak Mae" Concert in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, on the occasion of her 72nd Birthday at Assumption Royal Chapel organized by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand and the Somsak-Patama Leesawadkul Foundation. The concert was huge success and was widely broadcast on public television.
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