UO doctoral music student Nattapol Tantikarn is one of 79 pianists invited to compete in the 18th Leeds International Piano Competition, to be held in The Great Hall at The University of Leeds in August. 

After a highly competitive preliminary selection procedure, Tantikarn was chosen out of a pool of 301 applicants from 44 countries. The 28-year old pianist from Thailand will compete for the chance to win $20,000 and the opportunity to advance his concert piano career. 

Founded in 1961, the Leeds International Piano Competition is a triennial event that is considered one of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions. Many of today’s greatest pianists, such as Murray Perahia, Radu Lupu and Dimitri Alexeev, launched their careers by taking first prize at ‘the Leeds.’

For more information about the Leeds Piano Competition, see their website.

Tantikarn has already received awards in several national competitions, including first prize in the YAMAHA Music Festival and the second prize in the Fifth Piyabhand Piano Competition.  Tantikarn was also a prizewinner in the regional division competition of the Music Teachers National Association and the 63rd Wideman International Piano Competition, and he participated in the Seventh Hamamatsu International Piano Competition. 

He has also participated in several master classes held by leading artists and distinguished teachers from around the globe including Leon Fleisher, Yefim Bronfman, Dmitri Alexeev, Angela Hewitt, Jacques Rouvier, Peter Vinograde, Boris Berman and Dominique Merlet.

Tantikarn is currently pursuing a doctorate in music arts at the UO School of Music and Dance, studying with Dean Kramer. A frequent performer at the UO and in the Eugene community, he won the School of Music and Dance Concerto Competition in 2013 and performed the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts.