Bangkok--15 Oct--Tamnak Prathom
Thailand will play host at the first ever Tamnak Prathom-Thailand International Harp Festival Amd Youth Competition between 30 October — 2 November 2009, the first such harp festival and competition to be held in Southeast Asia participated by top international harpists as well as aspiring Young harpists.
Her Majesty the Queen has graciously consented to grant her royal patronage to the Festival as well as the Queen’s Trophy to be presented to the winner of the Youth Competition.
The Festival is the cooperation between the Ministry of Culture, the Bangkok Municipality Authority, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Chulalongkorn University and the Tamnak Prathom Harp Centre, with support from top harpists in both Europe and Asia.
With the slogan “Friendship through Music” the Festival is also aimed at promoting Bangkok’s Image as a cultural city.
The Festival will be divided into two parts. The first part, the Youth Competition, will see 18 youngsters, ages ranging from 8 — 16, participating from eight different countries including Lithuania, France, Italy, Wales, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand. The panel of six International jurors will be headed by Elinor Bennett, Wales’ top harpist and teacher.
Elinor Bennett , who is also Artistic Director of the Festival together with Tongsuang Isarangkul, will also be overseeing the performance side of the Festival, to include three concerts, the first of which will begin on October 30 at Chulalongkorn University Auditorium.
The performances will range from the variety show-style concert
“A Harp Extravaganza”, to a solo recital to the last night’s concerto to be presented by award-winning harpist, Jie Zhou, from Shanghai who will perform the favourite Gliere’s Harp Concerto together with the Royal Thai Navy Orchestra conducted by this year’s national artist, Veeraphan Vawklang. Proceeds from all three concerts will be donated to the Thai Red Cross Society and the Fund for Classical Music Promotion under Royal Patronage of the late HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, Kromluang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra.
For the young harpists, the Festival will also open up the opportunity to meet their peers as well as to meet and work with some of the top harpists and teachers in the world.
It is expected that the Thailand International Harp Festival and Youth Competition will be held every 2-3 years with the cooperation of harpists from Hong Kong and Singapore in the hopes of promoting young harpists and harp music in the region.
Tickets at 1000 , 800 Baht /concert or VIP Advanced Booking 3 concerts only 2,800 Baht until October 22, 2009. For information please call Tamnak Prathom Harp Centre Tel. 02 261 4777- 8 or mobile 084 766 4086 or 084 766 4098