Playing to the crowds

FOR DECADES, BANGKOK was something of a desert when it came to decent concert halls but now auditoriums are popping up all over the place with Mahidol University’s Mahidol Sitthakarn, Muang Thai GMM Live House and KBank’s Siam Pic-Ganesha among the latest to open.

“Having a good auditorium is essential. If you can feel your hair stand on end while appreciating a musical performance in our hall, it’s because the sound is of such high quality that it is passing through you and making your heart beat faster,” says Associate Professor Dr Sugree Charoensook, dean of Mahidol University’s College of Music, who has conducted research into multipurpose auditoriums both domestically and abroad.

“It also says a great deal about the economy, as a great concert hall underlines prosperity. I firmly believe that our auditorium is on par with Singapore’s Esplanade in terms of image, atmosphere, equipment and seats.” 

Mahidol Sitthakarn, or Prince Mahidol Hall as it is also known, opened last April and quickly won praise for its state-of-the-art acoustics, which accounted for Bt300 million of the total Bt1.5-billion investment.

Built on 54 rai on the university’s Salaya campus, it consists of a 2,002-seat Chalermprakiat Hall, a stage, an orchestra pit, an exhibition hall, rehearsal room, performers’ prep room, engine room and underground parking for 152 vehicles.

Blending traditional Thai designs, the auditorium takes the shape of the kan phai flower, the university’s floral emblem. The roof resembles the human skeletal framework, which symbolises the advancement of medical knowledge – the university’s core strength. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn gave the complex its name.

The hall is also the permanent home to the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra.

“This auditorium can be used for both symphony and philharmonic orchestras as well as other music genres including mor lam, likay and wong phipat [Thai classical orchestra]. It also serves as a recording studio for movie soundtracks, just like similar facilities in Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. We are a centre for culture, so we should present our culture through music and sports to people around the world,” says Dr Sugree. “The music here is so beautiful, even the angels come to listen.”

After observing significant growth in concert audiences over the last five years, GMM Grammy, the country's biggest entertainment firm, has invested more than Bt100 million – Bt30 million of that in the acoustic system – in the Muang Thai GMM Live House on the eighth floor of CentralWorld. 

“There was a need for a medium-capacity concert hall to seat 2,000 to 3,000 people,” says Chanathip Wiwatthanaphaibun, managing director of GMM Grammy. 

“It aims to support our business by showcasing our recording artists who really get a chance to put on a full-scale concert.” 

Muang Thai GMM Live House, which is based on the same area as the original CentralWorld Live, has undergone a complete revamp. The original square shape is now a rectangle and it’s been updated from multipurpose hall to concert hall with a state-of-the-art acoustic system. It’s also been fitted with the full range of production facilities including a professional sound and lighting system, The stage is a healthy 19 metres wide, the LED screen measures 10 by 5 metres and the microphones are the best that money can buy. The venue also boasts two dressing rooms, a boardroom, a VIP room and a spacious waiting area outside the hall that’s equipped with its own LED screen.

 “Having our own concert hall helps reduce costs too. Normally the rental fee is Bt800,000 to Bt900,000 per day. But we paid just Bt1.6 million for New-Jew’s three shows,” says Chanathip.

GMM Grammy has signed a 12-year contract with CentralWorld and is also planning to build an exhibition hall on the same scale as Impact Challenger in Muang Thong Thani.

Workpoint Entertainment, which produces TV series, films and animation, is getting its own theatre with the KBank Siam Pic-Ganesha Hall on the seventh and eighth floors of Siam Square One. It’ll debut the space in April with the musical “Hom Rong”, an adaptation of the hit 2004 musical-drama film.

“We want Thailand to have a good theatre, just like Singapore and Japan,” says Phanich Sodsee, the group’s chief executive. “City folks like to do many things at once. They want to have lunch or dinner, go shopping and see a theatre production or a movie in more or less the same location. So this theatre is an alternative for folks who spend time in the Siam Square area.”

Built at a cost of Bt450 million, the Siam Pic-Ganesha has a 1,060-seat auditorium (698 on the main floor, 346 in the balcony and 16 in VIP boxes), and is fitted with the latest in production technology.

On the seventh floor will be the 200-seat Playhouse, a 40-seat studio and the Lobby Space. Workpoint has signed a contract for 15 years.

“We want our theatre to be on a human scale like those in England, where the audience can hear the players without a microphone, have a clear view of the performance and feel the performers’ emotions,” says Phanich. 

“The Playhouse will be used for activities like fan meetings, meet and greets and seminars while the Lobby Space will serve as a good place to relax and admire the view of Siam Square, Chulalongkorn University Book Centre and the Novotel Hotel.”