Showing 1 - 4 of 4
Mature Musicality
Life, Published on 25/09/2019
» Somtow Sucharitkul and Siam Sinfonietta earlier this month gave a wonderful concert in the Czech Republic's capital, Prague, as part of their European tour. The event was significant for several reasons. It marked the premiere on the Old Continent of Voraprach Wongsathapornpat's piece Temples Of Kyoto, Trisdee Na Patalung's Restoration, and Somtow's Helena Citrónová suite. For many of the young musicians, the tour occasioned their first performance in Europe and "their first time encountering the particular warmth of the Czechs and the intensity of their love for music". The excited audience at Prague's Academy of Performing Arts (HAMU) bestowed a long standing ovation on Somtow and Sinfonietta for their mature musicality.
The best of both worlds
Life, Published on 01/10/2018
» The Suanplu Chorus performed for the first time in the heart of Europe -- the Czech Republic's capital, Prague -- in a passionate choral concert hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy and the Czech-Thai Society. Led by Maestro Ramon M. Lijauco Jr, more than 30 Suanplu singers brightened with beautiful harmonies the Mirror Chapel of the Klementinum, a major historical venue in Prague. Thailand's finest a cappella ensemble -- a cappella is Italian for "in the manner of the chapel", making the Klementinum an auspicious venue for this performance -- earned a long standing ovation for their exciting blend of contemporary Western sacred music and Thai traditional songs arranged for chorus.
Mozart soars over Beethoven in the battle of the pianos
Life, Published on 02/08/2018
» The finalists of the Fifth Thailand International Piano Competition (TIPC) performed with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and guest conductor Thanapol Setabrahmana. The concerts on July 20 and 21 in Prince Mahidol Hall marked the final round of this prestigious event that culminated with Xu Guo's sublime reading of Mozart's Piano Concerto No.20, which won the 22-year-old Chinese pianist the first prize. Xu played Mozart with a freshness and scrupulous attention to detail.
Fiery violin lights thousand and one nights
Life, Published on 13/07/2018
» Taiwanese violinist Yu-Chien Tseng joined the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) and chief conductor Alfonso Scarano in a fiery reading of Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No.2. The fire almost became real when one of the strings of Tseng's bow snapped. Such was the intensity of the TPO's concert last Saturday at Prince Mahidol Hall, Mahidol University. Who better to judge than the conductor? The notoriously demanding Scarano looked pleased with the superb musicianship on display. At times, his signature frown melted into a warm beam. Devotees of the orchestra know what a rare sight that is. Maestro Scarano then led the TPO through a passionate and evocative performance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, where the violin of the equally accomplished TPO's concertmaster Omiros Yavroumis again became the protagonist in a luscious portrayal of the eponymous Arabian Nights storyteller.