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Thai Classical Music Band
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oncordian’s Thai Classical Music Bands are bands in which students not only learn about the traditional Thai music instruments but also get a chance to learn and explore other kinds of Thai’s instruments. Additionally, they have the opportunity to preserve Thai culture by performing at many Thai events at our school. There are three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Tonchok, Grade 8, has joined Concordian’s Thai classical music band for a long time. He is in the advanced level now, and would like to share his experience with us! Kru A
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ello, my name is Tonchok. I am a musician and play the violin, the Ranad ek, and the Saw Sam Sai. I attend Concordian International School and have been playing the violin since I was 5 years old. Currently, I am a member in the Thai Youth Orchestra which is currently one of the national orchestras under the Thai Ministry of Culture. Being in the Thai Youth Orchestra is a lot of work because the pieces we play are quite advanced like Tchaikovsky Symphony 5, Ein Heldeleben by Strauss, and Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev. Being in the Thai Youth Orchestra has given me a lot of experience both inside and outside the concert hall. I have been able to participate in concerts, studio recordings, local shows, and even fundraisers. I also had the opportunity to travel outside the country for performances in Vienna, Budapest, and Tokyo.
also for Khon and the King’s birthday. What I like about the Ranad ek is the unique sound of the instrument that is produced when the stick hits the wood. This sound cannot be found on the classical xylophone. I also play the Saw Sam Sai. The Saw Sam Sai is similar to a cello. It is basically a Thai cello that has 3 strings. The Saw Sam Sai is one of the oldest instruments in Thai history, and it is very rare to find people who still play it. Unfortunately, the instrument is fading away quickly. At school I decided to join the Thai traditional band because I want to preserve the traditions of our country from ancient times. The piece that I played on the Saw Sam Sai was a traditional Thai piece that has been passed down from generation to generation. It is very hard to control the tone of the Saw Sam Sai since in order to play a different string, you have to turn the body of the instrument not the bow. My experience in both the Thai Youth Orchestra and the Concordian’s Thai Classical Music Band at school gave me the opportunity to make lots of friends, who are both younger and older. It has trained me to be a leader and a learner which are essential skills I will use in the future. Also, it makes me proud to give back to the school, and I am very grateful to do so. I hope that my experiences might inspire you to take a path in music and see the benefits that come from helping the school in this way.
Lastly, I would like to thank Kru A and Concordian for giving me the opportunity to be able to have these unique experiences. I would also like to thank my parents for supporting me and fighting with me to achieve my dreams. From this article, I hope that Concordian parents can see the importance in encouraging their kids to participate in musical activities In addition to playing the violin, I also play Thai at Concordian International School. instruments at school. I play the Ranad ek which is a traditional Thai instrument from the Sukhothai era. I first Tonchok, G8 started playing the Ranad ek in third grade. The Ranad ek is basically a Thai xylophone and is played in many Thai ceremonies such as Songkran, Loy Krathong, and
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