Htet Arkar

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Htet Arkar, ထက်အာကာ, is a Myanmar traditional musician, composer and cultural educator. Known for his innovative approach to Myanmar's musical heritage, he is a music director of Lokapala Production and traditional music instructor at ILBC International School. Through his performances, compositions and international collaborations, he has become a key figure in preserving and modernising traditional Myanmar music.

Early Life and Education

Htet Arkar was born into a family deeply rooted in the arts. His father, U Hla Myint, was a traditional musician with the Ministry of Culture and a Chauk Lone Pat player, while his mother, Shwe Mann Thu Kyawt Kyawt Mu, was a well-known Anyeint dancer in Mandalay and niece of the legendary dancer Alinkar Kyaw Swar Shwe Man Tin Maung.

He began learning music at a young age and participated in the National Competition of Myanmar Traditional Cultural Arts and Performances in 2000, winning 21 gold medals in the Hsaing Waing category over the years. He later pursued studies at West Yangon Technological University (Mechanical Major), and obtained additional qualifications including B.Sc. (Physics),Business Management Higher Diploma, Diploma in English (SEAMEO), Post Graduate Diploma of Arts (Music) from the National University of Arts and Culture (Yangon) and Master’s degree in Music at the same university.

Career

Htet Arkar Myanmar Music and Performances

Founded in 2012, HTET ARKAR Myanmar Music and Performances is a pioneering traditional music and performance service that provides authentic Myanmar and Western music performances for cultural events. As Artistic Director, Htet Arkar has directed major national and international performances. He also directed Gant Gaw Myaing Anyeint for the University of Yangon’s 100th Anniversary.

Lokapala Production

In 2020, Htet Arkar founded Lokapala Production, a music production and record label. As Music Director, he leads a team of young musicians producing albums, live concerts, and film scores.

Lokapala Ensemble

The Lokapala Ensemble, founded in 2023, is an innovative group dedicated to blending Myanmar’s traditional instruments — such as the Pat Waing, Saung Gauk (harp), and Pattala (xylophone) — with contemporary music. Made debut at Tagu Films.

International Collaborations and Performances

Htet Arkar has performed in several international and ASEAN events, such as International Symposium PGVIM (Thailand), ASEAN Youth Ensemble (AYE), SEADOM and SEAMEX Conferences, International Folk Cultural Festival, World Expo Dubai (2020). He also represented Myanmar at the 3rd Belt and Road Music Education Alliance (Yunnan, China), giving workshops at Yunnan Arts University.

He also made collaborations with international artists such as Lucas Vidal on Sound of Myanmar, a documentary and concert project to be presented in Brussels, Belgium (2025). Additionally, Francophonie 2024 Concert — “What If Brel Was a Woman?”, blending jazz with traditional Myanmar sounds, Sound of Harmony Virtual Concert — with Korean fusion group Ensemble SU, Film Scoring Projects — Oo Bar Dan, Mone Swal, and Pyone Shwin Yay Pyaw Yae Lar and LOKAPALA EDM Collaboration (2018) — with DJ Noixsmith, mixing traditional instruments with electronic music.

References

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