Message from Festival Director
It is with great joy and gratitude that I welcome you to the 10th Chulalongkorn University Choral Festival. Over the past decade, this festival has grown into a special occasion for choral musicians and enthusiasts to gather, learn, and make music together.
The Chulalongkorn University Choral Festival is one of its kind in Thailand, with a strong focus on both choral education and excellence in performance. Our aim has always been to create an environment where singers, conductors, and teachers can exchange ideas, expand their skills, and experience the joy of singing in a community that values artistry and discipline in equal measure.
This year, we are especially delighted to welcome two distinguished clinicians Dr. Jeffery Ames from Belmont University and Dr. T. J. Harper. Both are highly accomplished and sought-after conductors and educators in the United States and beyond. Their artistry, vision, and commitment to choral excellence will surely inspire everyone involved.
We are also thrilled to have 23 choirs participating this year, ranging from secondary school choirs to senior citizen choirs, including an especially exciting group of nine community choirs of older adults. Their presence enriches our fe stival with intergenerational connections and reminds us that music is truly a lifelong journey.
I wish to thank all the participating choirs, conductors, and our dedicated team who have made this year’s festival possible. May this event continue to inspir e, encourage collaboration, and strengthen the bonds within our choral community for many more years to come.
Dr. Pawasut Piriyapongrat, Festival Director
Dr. Pawasut Piriyapongrat, Festival Director
Pawasut Jodi Piriyapongrat earned her bachelor’s degree in Music Education with honors from Chulalongkorn University; Master of Music in Church Music; and Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Music from the University of Southern California, where she studied choral conducting with the late Dr. William Dehning.
Through her extensive choral experiences, including conducting Thai Youth Choir (2007 - 2009) and Chulalongkorn University Concert Choir (2007 - present), and many collaborative works of the latter with professional Thai and international orchestras, Pawasut has earned her recognition as Thailand’s leading choral conductor, guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and choral educator with national and international engagements including in China, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Srilanka, and USA. She dedicates much time and energy in bettering choral standards in Thailand through her involvement with Thailand Ministry of Education and numerous choral activity initiatives with Chulalongko rn University that include various workshops, choral festivals for secondary school, university, and community choirs, and choral camps for university choirs in Thailand. Some of her initiatives were in collaboration with American Choral Directors Association.
She is a full - time faculty member of Music Education Division, Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, Executive Committee Member of Asian Choral Association, and serves as President of Thailand Choral Directors Association.
Dr. Jeffery Ames, Clinicians
Dr. Jeffery Ames serves as Director of Choral Activities, and is a Full Professor within the School of Music at Belmont University. His prior appointments include Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Baylor University and Choral Director at Edgewater High School and Lincoln High School in Florida.
As a choral clinician, Dr. Ames has conducted senior and junior high school mixed and male choirs at the state and regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educator’s National Conference, including the inaugural Florida Male All - State Chorus, and annually at Carnegie Hall with the National Youth Choir. He has performed and guest conducted internationally in the countries of Costa Rica, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Estonia, South Korea, and the Republic of Ghana.
An accomplished accompanist, he has performed and collaborated with wellknown conductors such as André Thomas, Jo -Michael Scheibe, Lynne Gackle, and Anton Armstrong. Additionally he has collaborated with well-known celebrities such as Trisha Yearwood, Laura Bell Bundy, CeCe Winans, Connie Smith, Ricky Skaggs and The Whites, internationally acclaimed mezzo - soprano Denyce Graves, Michael W. Smith, Kathy Mattea, Sheryl Crow, and legendary rock band the Rolling Stones.
With a reputation as a distinguished and well-respected composer and arranger, Dr. Ames’ music has been premiered by the Florida Music Educators Association, the Florida American Choral Directors Association, the S outhern Division of ACDA, at National ACDA Conferences, and on the 2017, 2015, 2013, and 2011 telecasts of Christmas at Belmont . His compositions and arrangements are published with Colla Voce Music, Earthsongs, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, and Walton Music Corporation.
Professor Ames holds the Ph.D. in Choral Conducting/Choral Music Education and a Master of Choral Music Education degree from The Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Music degree, with a double major in Vocal Performance and Piano Accompanying, from James Madison University. He holds the honor of being the first recipient of the National ACDA James Mulholland Choral Music Fellowship, as well as being the first African American to represent the United States in the ACDA Internatio nal Conductor Exchange Program. He lives in Nashville with his lovely wife and three children.
Dr. T. J. Harper, Clinicians
T. J. Harper is a specialist in Choral Music Performance, Choral Pedagogy and Methodology, Conducting, and Vocal Performance. Choirs under his direction have performed at Carnegie Hall in 2022, the 2017 National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Eastern Division Conference in Atlantic City, NJ, the 2014 NAfME National Conference in Nashville, TN, the 2013 Ameri can Choral Directors Association (ACDA) New England Collegiate Choral Conference in Keene, NH, the 2012 ACDA Eastern Division Conference in Providence, RI, the 2011 NAfME Eastern Division Conference in Baltimore, MD, and the 2010 Rhode Island Music Educators Association (RIMEA) Spring In - Service Conference. International performances by invitation include Austria, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain.
Dr. Harper maintains an active schedule in the US and abroad as a guest conductor, clinician, and j ury member. He has received invitations as conductor, clinician and lecturer throughout the United States and internationally with engagements in Argentina, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Si ngapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, and Venezuela. He has been engaged as a lecturer, presenter, and guest speaker at the 2015 Yale University International Choral
Music Symposium; the 2015 European Choir Games in Magdeburg, G ermany; Harvard University, Hofstra University, the University of Southern California, and the New England ACDA Collegiate Choral Conference.
Dr. Harper recently held positions as Board Member for the International Federation of Choral Music (IFCM), the past Chair of the ACDA Standing Committee on International Activities, and the Director of the ACDA International Conductors Exchange Program. He was the President of the Rhode Island Music Educators Association (RIMEA) and the President of the Rhode Island chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
Dr. Harper received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California where he graduated with honors. He received the Master of Arts in Choral Conducting from California State University, Northridge and the Bachelor of Arts degree and Choral Conducting from California State University, Fresno. He taught in the California public school system for six years and was honored for excellence in teaching in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. As a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, NAfME, ACDA, Chorus America, NCCO and IFCM, Dr. Harper is an advocate for the promotion of undergraduate and graduate music education and choral music in the public schools.
Fly Me to the Moon
Composer and Lyrics: Bart Howard arr. Thanawut Sriwattana
Pianist: Thanawin Jan-anurak
Conductor: Thanawut Sriwattana
You Raise Me Up Graham (b. 1945)
Caro Mio Ben Tommaso Giordani (1730-1806)
Ich Liebe Dich Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Viva La Vida Words and Music by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and, Chris Martin
Piano: Kornthida Khotawanich
Conductor: Nutthan Inkhong
Hold On Traditional Spiritual arr. Stacey V. Gibbs
Ubi Caritas Jonathan Reid
บทสุดท้าย (Bod Sudthai) Lyrics and Music by Ratimas Jirapongsananuruk
งามแสงเดือน (Ngam Saeng Duean) Music by Montri Tramote
Lyrics by Chalerm Sawetanan arr. Atichai Tragoondech
Conductor: Atichai Tragoondeh
Plaudite Manibus Branko Stark
How Far I’ll Go Lin-mauel Miranda arr. Kirby Shaw
Ngoen na mi mai (เงินน่ะมีไหม) Wichian Khamcharoen arr. Sage Chaiyapechara
Conductor: Saksomnean Shookumpang
Jubilate Deo
Michael John Trotta
Sarasas Affiliated Chorus
I Got a Home in-a Dat Rock Stacey V. Gibbs
Conductor: Mr.Sukanut Posrisook
Ave Maria Gratia Plena
Josu Elberdin (b.1976)
Bésame Mucho
Consuelito Velázquez (1916- 2005)
Father Thunder Laura Jekabsone (b. 1985)
Conductor: Nelson Kwei
Takeda Lullaby
Os Justi Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Vivat, crescat, floreat! Meskó Ilona (b. 1981)
Let Everything That Hath Breath
Piano: Pitipat Chitchulanon
Jeffery L. Ames (b. 1969)
Conductor: Dr. Rit Subsomboon