Background & Education

Dr. Smatya Wathawathana is a renowned Thai cellist, educator, and music therapist. She holds a doctorate in Development Administration (Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University), a master’s in Music Therapy (Mahidol University), and a bachelor’s in Fine and Applied Arts (First-Class Honors, Chulalongkorn University).

An award-winning musician, she won First Prize at the Princess Galyani Vadhana International Ensemble Competition (2015) and the International Youth Chamber Music Competition (Switzerland, 2005). She has performed internationally in the UK, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Canada.

As a certified Neurologic Music Therapist, she works at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, specializing in dementia care and using music to enhance well-being. She is also a member of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and serves as a lecturer at the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music.

Dr. Smatya has extensive teaching experience, having taught at Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University, Assumption University, and Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, where she has mentored aspiring musicians and music therapists.

Beyond the stage, she shares engaging music content on TikTok (@speakwa), amassing 38 million views by 2024. Her passion for music extends to education, performance, and therapy, making a lasting impact both locally and globally.