Blue Planet Concert amazes GIS students

Manta Ray at Hin Daeng, Thailand. (Photo by Jon Hanson.)

By Sarah Chi (Year 10)

Students from Garden International School experienced a musical concert with a difference in Bangkok.

On October 3, students and teachers from GIS went to the Blue Planet Concert. The concert featured a giant screen that showed a nature documentary, while a live orchestra played a suitable accompaniment for each scene.

The documentary included the stories of whales, mysterious fishes that live in the depths of the sea, crabs and other creatures. Students thought this concert was fascinating as they could see the documentary and orchestra at the same time. For each part of the story, the orchestra played an effective piece of music which made the documentary even more dramatic.

The music helped the audience follow the story and the choice of instruments, changes in texture, dynamics, pitch, and speed helped create just the right mood for each part. The crescendos and diminuendos were particularly impressive as they helped fantastically to build the mood.

During one scene involving a killer whale hunting a baby whale, the music had a suspicious mood at first but after the baby whale was killed, the music had a sad tone so that it made the listener feel sorry for the whale. One of the highlights of the concert was when the orchestra played some wonderful music during a scene involving strange creatures from the deep. The music was quiet, high-pitched, monophonic (single melody), and quite slow so that it made scene miraculous and mysterious.

The concert was enjoyable because of the blend of live music and recorded documentary.

“Fusion in both cuisine & music is a dirty word”

“Fusion in both cuisine & music is a dirty word,” quipped Leo Phillips, the featured speaker at the October 7 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club at the Amari’s Tavern by the Sea Restaurant, when asked what he thinks about the modern classical music scene.

‘Hawaii Bob’ Sutterfield draws the lucky names for the PCEC members’ draw for special deals in Pattaya’s better value restaurants. Bob is aided by Open Forum MC, Roy Albiston.

Leo, a London-born, internationally acclaimed violin player and orchestra conductor, didn’t bring his violin or his baton to the meeting, but he did charm the audience with his wit and his obvious passion for good music.

Leo said he feels that modern classical music has become too commercial, with the visual becoming more important than the aural for many young musicians. “Marketing gets in the way, and the music can’t reach your soul,” said Leo. As a result, you don’t get the same depth of experience.

Leo Phillips, featured speaker at PCEC’s October 7 meeting, said “Marketing gets in the way (of modern classical music), and the music can’t reach your soul.”

Although he has worked with many legendary figures and performed with orchestras around the world, Leo said he is most proud of his work as a teacher, a role that he has embraced with gusto since relocating to Thailand in 2003.

“The most important lesson for a musician is learning how to listen,” said Leo. But although he started playing violin at age five when his parents “stuck a violin under my chin,” and turned professional at age 17, he didn’t learn that lesson until some years later, when he studied with famed violinist and teacher Shmuel Ashkenasi in Chicago. It was a humbling experience. During his first session, Ashkenasi was reading his mail while Leo did his best to concentrate on playing a Mozart concerto.

When Leo finished, Ashkenasi said, “It’s unacceptable. You’re out of tune.” The next week Ashkenasi said, “You’re a little better, but please don’t tell anyone you’re studying with me.” Leo learned quickly after that.

Leo says his main criticism for students today is that there are “flecks of dirt in their playing.” He says you have to train yourself to hear the little scratch, the slight problem with intonation or tuning; it’s very simple to correct, but the key is that you have to learn to listen. He said teaching has also given him much more insight into his own musical talents.

Leo conducts the Galyani Vadhana Institute Orchestra.

Leo said that although he enjoys performing with an orchestra, his real love has always been chamber music. The problem, he said, is that you don’t make much money playing chamber music, so he started supporting himself by leading orchestras as a guest leader. But he said that as a guest leader, you’re not really part of the orchestra, and the other players are very suspicious of you. He also played in movies like Gladiator and Philadelphia, but didn’t really like commercial work. So about 10 years ago he decided to sell his violin and travel, supporting himself by teaching.

When he got to Bangkok a year later, someone asked him to do some work with young people. The evening after his first performance with them, he bought a bottle of Chang beer in a 7-Eleven. The bottle broke and cut his hand. The next night the lead violin player died, and they asked Leo to take his place. Luckily, the cut was in the one position that doesn’t bother his violin playing.

Since then, Leo has been performing and teaching in Thailand and elsewhere around Asia, Australia and New Zealand. He started performing with the Galyani Vadhana Institute Orchestra in 2008, and was appointed the orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor in March of this year. He said a new concert hall recently opened at the Institute, but no concerts have been planned there yet.

Leo also said that in the next few months he hopes to organize a small of group of musicians that can travel around and play in smaller venues such as Pattaya. So hopefully he will be returning before long - with his violin.

After Leo’s presentation, Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg provided information on upcoming events and called on Roy Albiston to conduct the always informative and sometime humorous Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand, recommendations for restaurants and movies are made, an and perhaps a joke or two are told.

Bikers roll for flood relief in Bangsaen Nov. 4-5

Press Release

Motorcycle enthusiasts ride for flood victims when Bangsaen Bike Week revs up for the seventh year Nov. 4-5 at the General Grounds in Laem-Taen Bangsaen Beach (Chonburi).

The local government-organized event features hundreds of choppers, music and contests. This year the “Bikers Join Forces for Flood Relief” aims to raise funds to help victims in northern and central Thailand.

Musical acts scheduled to appear are Teddy Ska, Sweet Mullet, So Cool and No More Tears. The two-day Bike Week also features motorcycle shows of small, big and classic models and a Miss Chopper pageant. Bike, parts and accessories vendors will also showcase their wares.

Bike Week is free to attend. For more information, contact 038-193-500 ext 322 or 087-146-5515.

Pattaya awaits new Catholic Church

Pattaya will soon be home to another Roman Catholic Church.
The Church of the Assumption Pattaya, on Soi Siam Country Club, about 10 kilometers from Sukhumvit Road, will open with a blessing Nov. 19. Rev. Francis Xavier Kritsada Sukkaphat, a junior clergyman at St. Nikolas Church, will take over as lead pastor.
Built by Chatri Sophonpanich and Phornthep Phornprapha for about 60 million baht, not including land costs, the church was constructed an a “green environment zone.” Meant to be both environmentally sensitive and Thai-accented, the 21 rai house of worship resides in the Thaworn-Usa Thani Botanical Garden with the intent of instilling a tranquil mood in parishioners.
The Church of the Assumption Pattaya is administered by the Diocese of Chantaburi headed by Bishop Silvio Siripong Charatsri and was opened with an eye toward the increasing numbers of Thai and foreign Catholics in the area.

The first sighting of Santa for 2011

Word on the grapevine has it that Santa will sneak away from his chores to visit Bangkok Hospital Pattaya on November 26.

Dr. Iain Corness

Using satellite-guided laser probes misappropriated from its Diagnostic Imaging Department, the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya has managed to contact Santa Claus at the North Pole.

The coordinators from the International Service Department were then called upon to translate Santa’s “Ho-Ho-Ho”, from ‘North Polish’ into English, and now the good news can be spread throughout Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard. Yes! Santa is coming back to the hospital this year, but because of slow production from the elves (“Lazy little B’s,” said Santa!) he will have to come next month instead of December.

To celebrate the event, and to now give everyone a chance to buy some wonderful pre-Xmas bargains, the Charity Xmas Bazaar will be held on November 26, timed to coincide with the arrival of Santa himself on that day.

So get your calendars and diaries out and note Saturday November 26, with the bazaar running from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. If you haven not been to one before, this is the bargain bazaar of the year, and is held in the lobby of the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. All of the charity organizations and service clubs will be there and Santa will be there, so bring the kids, a large shopping bag and your money.
Santa signed off with another hearty “Ho-Ho-Ho, see you on November 26th!”