Orchestral manoeuvres in the light

The Culture Ministry’s Office of Contemporary Art and Culture is once again joining up with KPN Music Academy to search for young and talented musicians to become members of the third incarnation of the Ruam Smai Big Band Orchestra. 

 “I was really afraid that the big band in Thailand was dying out as people today tend to feel the big band sound is too old fashioned. I disagree. I think it’s just as appropriate as it ever was and a welcome addition to today’s music scene. Big bands can play just about every song and their members have a real talent for harmony. I'm very grateful to the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture for organising the Ruam Samai Big Band project,” says the music academy’s chief executive Nop Narongdej.

 “The big band sound of jazz and swing was particularly popular in the US from about 1930 to 1940. The standard big band consists of five saxophonists, four trumpeters, four trombonists and a group of rhythm instruments such as piano, drums, bass and guitar,” says Wirat U-Tawaughn, director of Academic Affairs at KPN Music. 

“For the Ruam Smai Big Band, which we refer to as a ‘Big Band Orchestra’, we also include a string session with violin, viola and cello.”

The Ruam Smai Big Band was set up in 2012 as part of a project designed to develop music abilities in young people. It offers youngsters a chance to showcase their talents and play alongside similar bands in the Asean region. 

 All 50 members of the big band performed in the “Thailand-Singapore Big Band Concert” joining young musicians from the AMK & Xinmin Big Band, which is made up of students from the city state's Ang Mo Kio and Xinmin secondary schools. The band was also in Hong Kong recently performing with the HKMA String Orchestra in the “Thailand-Hong Kong Unity in Harmony Concert” held at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.

Before the press conference came to an end, the talents from the first two years of the Ruam Smai Big Band demonstrated their range and diversity with a performance that included “Lao Duang Duen”, the royal composition “Nai Duangjai Niran” (“Still on My Mind”), “Wack Wack”, “Buppesaniwas”, “Part of Your World”, a soundtrack the 1989 Disney animated feature film “The Little Mermaid”, Michael Buble’s “Haven’t Met You Yet”, Beyonce’s “Love on Top”, American rap rockers Crazy Town’s “Butterfly” and Chakrapan “Got” Arbkornburi’s luk thung hit “Ya Ploi Hai Ther Loi Nual.”

Applicants must be between 12-18 years old, studying at high school and able to play one or more of the musical instruments required: violin, viola, cello, drum, bass, electric guitar, keyboard, saxophone, trombone and trumpet. Vocalists are also invited to try out. The deadline is March 15.

 The first audition will be held on April 1 at the College of Music, Payap University in Chiang Mai, on April 2 at the Faculty of Fine Art, Thaksin University in Songkhla, on April 3 at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Khon Kaen University in Khon Kaen, on April 4 at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Burapha University in Chon Buri, and on April 5-6 on the sixth floor of Chamchuri 9 Building of Chulalongkorn University. The  best 200 applicants will then attend a three-day music camp.

The second round will see the 40 finalists selected to perform with the big band at the concert in Thailand and at International Junior Orchestra Festival “Stellar Jam” in Tokyo, Japan in September.

Download the application form at www.RuamSmai-BigBand.com or from KPN Music Academies around the country. For more information, visit Facebook.com/RuamSmai.BigBand, or call (081) 701 4683.