Students tread late King’s footsteps

THE MUSICAL compositions of His Majesty King Bhumibol provided the foundation for a lively recent concert at the Thailand Cultural Centre – not by a grand symphony but by the young singers and musicians of Roong Aroon School.
The school’s annual concert, “Following in the Footsteps of the Righteous King”, featured students from elementary to high-school level, and they were clearly thrilled to be onstage.

The young people had been looking forward to the event for a long time. It was plain they’d rehearsed really hard because they all knew their parts by heart.
They knew this would be the performance of a lifetime – the only chance they’d have to sing and play the music of the beloved King.
With a thousand youngsters as well as staff and parents celebrating the school’s 20th anniversary, the unity of spirit was impressive.

The concert was more than an opportunity for the students to entertain and display their skills. It was part of the learning process, one in which they realised the benefits of persevering, behaving responsibly, sacrificing and showing community spirit.
They have discovered how music nurtures hearts and souls.
Joining the school’s RA Pop Orchestra and Traditional Thai Music Club onstage for a “jam” were flautist Thanis Srikindee, National Artist Naowarat Pongpaiboon and the Suanplu Chorus.
Naowarat read his poem “Pleng Porn Phen Din”, about celebrating the transition between the reigns of Their Majesties King Rama IX and King Rama X.

Thanis performed two pieces written by the late monarch, “Blue Day” and “The Impossible Dream” (“Kwamfun An Sungsud”). And the Suanplu Chorus heightened the mood with “Kong Kwan Chak Kon Din” and “Duen Tam Por”.
Grade 1 students presented a song by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, “Rak” (“Love”), accompanying their vocals with body language to demonstrate their understanding that not everyone has the ability to hear music.
The concert ended with the musical-theatre performance “The Light Within” by Grade 12 students, about the virtues that lie within each of us.
The stage show was augmented with an exhibition of the students’ art entitled “Nai Lhuang Nai Duang Jai”.
Proceeds from ticket sales are being donated to flood-relief efforts in Cha-Oud district in Nakhon Si Thammarat.