Dr. Helena Aung

Biography

Helena Aung is a pianist from Thailand and the founder of the Innovative Piano Program. In 2024, she became a Sessional Lecturer at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Aung holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Arkansas, a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She was a prizewinner at the 2011 Bangkok Chopin Piano Competition and has received numerous prestigious scholarships throughout her career, including the Yamaha Artist Scholarship and the Princess Galyani Vadhana Classical Music Foundation Scholarship. Aung performs as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician, and works extensively with composers to premiere contemporary works. Her dissertation, titled “Martin Bresnick’s Piano Compositions: Analysis Performance Guide,” was published in April 2023 in the MTNA e-journal. She will present a lecture-recital at the 2025 PGVIS International Symposium. As an educator, she has been awarded the 2024 Steinway & Sons Top Piano Teacher Award and has adapted her teaching methods to meet the individual needs of her students. Aung has been involved in masterclasses at renowned institutions and festivals in the United States, India, and Thailand. She has worked with distinguished artists, which has greatly contributed to her artistic growth.

Research Interests