Chanya Bayla Somboonvechakarn
PIANO
1st Prize

Born in  2012, Bayla began to learn piano at the age of three. She is currently a year 8 student in Bangkok Patana School. Since 2016, she  has been under tutelage of Prof. Irina Novikova, the head of keyboard in Shrewsbury International School, Bangkok.
As Laureates and Grand Prize winners from many  international competitions and festivals, Bayla has had the opportunity to perform at numerous prestigious festivals and venues worldwide, such as Nice, Rome, Budapest, Moscow, Osaka, Hamamatsu, Hongkong, New York, Singapore, Indonesia, and Bangkok. She performed twice in Carnegie Hall at the age of 5 as First Prize winner and Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize winner from Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition 2017 and AADGT Young Gifted Musicians Festival “Passion of Music 2018”. At the age of 6, Bayla made her first orchestral debut as a soloist with Sunrise String Orchestra performing Berkovich piano concerto at Chulalongkorn University Music Hall, Thailand. She was the youngest Thai kid to ever perform as soloist with an orchestra. In December 2019, Bayla was selected to perform as Guest pianist at The International Philharmonic Children of Future Concerts in Moscow with the presence of the Thai Ambassador; organized by Children Philharmonic Society and partnered by NEWSMUZ.com, Russia News and ORPHEUS9.2FM. In June 2022, she performed another concerto, Mozart Piano Concerto No. 9 “Jeunehomme”, in collaboration with Bangkok Charity Orchestra for a charity project.  During the same year, she also received an invitation to perform concerto  with Mississippi Valley Orchestra, USA. In January 2023, Bayla  was selected as the recipient of “Outstanding Youth who brings Fame and Reputation to the country in Arts, Culture and Music” award from Thailand Ministry of Education. She had the chance to meet Thailand’s Prime Minister and received the plaque from Thai minister of education in the Government House of Thailand. In March 2023, Bayla and a group of ballerina from “Katyusha” Russian Dance Academy collaborate a performance for  charity concert “Smiling Hearts” in supports of  Special Olympic Thailand.

Bayla has distinguished herself by consistently winning top prizes in many piano competitions worldwide both in solo and concerto categories.  Her most recent accolades include: Champion and Grand Prize Winner from The 6th HKIMAA 2023 Hongkong International Music and Arts Festival, Global Final Round (Hongkong, 2023); Grand Prize, Glory International Music Competition (2023); Platinum Prize and Rachmaninoff Special Prize, LYPCO - London Youth Piano Competition (UK, 2023); First Absolute Prize and  special Prize, 2nd Concours International Junior Samson Francois  (Nice, France, 2023); First Prize and Winner, Kayserburg International Piano Competition- Junior Category (Singapore, 2023); First Absolute Prize from 5th Singapore International Classical Piano Competition  (Singapore, 2023); Orbetello International Piano Competition (Italy, 2023); Great Masters International Piano Competition (2023); Second Prize, 24th Osaka International Music Competition, Section I Piano Category E3, Osaka, Japan.

In addition to her music accolades, Bayla is a voracious learner and excels in all academic areas, holding particular interests in history, mathematics, and art. She is a capable young mathematician who often joined Mathematic olympiads and takes a curious interest in English literature and art.  Bayla has been a member of MENSA International, the High IQ Society since age . Her passion for music, arts and literature bolsters her aspiration to be a well-rounded individual with deep theoretical and practical skills in the areas of her expertise. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, writing, drawing, singing, and swimming.