Princess performs to full house in London
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn performed classical Thai music to a full house in a special concert in London this week, in an event that attracted more than 100 Thais.
The concert was held at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, to mark the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's coronation. In 1991 the Princess attended SOAS and donated a set of Thai instruments. She also funded music scholarships to allow Thai students to attend the specialist college and helped establish the Thai music degree and Thai Music Group at SOAS. The Princess spoke to members of the audience before the concert and Thai Ambassador to Britain Vikrom Koompirochana introduced the 90-minute performance. Members of London's Thai business and academic communities attended the evening, which also saw performances by the Thai Music Circle in the UK, the SOAS Thai Music Group and the Thai Dance Academy. The musicians were mostly Thai. During the performance in six sections, the Princess sang and led on a traditional Thai xylophone. The show opened with "Homrong Maharat" (The Great King's Overture) to celebrate the jubilee. The second song, "Khaek Lopburi", featured lyrics composed by the Princess. The third song, "Thai Damnoen Doi", also written by the Princess, celebrated the beauty of northern Thailand, followed by "Tab Phleng Lom Phat Chai Khao", which tells of her happiness when playing music with fellow students at Chulalongkorn University. "Phama Thung Le" and "Thoet Thoeng" featured a group of dancers. The show ended with a finale "Phra-Athit Ching Duang" written in 1986 by the Princess and describ-ing traditional Thai sweetmeats. The musicians included: Sirichaicharn Fahchamroon, one of the Princess's musical advisers; Harvard scholar Prapod Asvavirulhakarn; so duang player Chantra Sukhaviriya; and Silpakorn University art instructor Manop Isaradej. Manote Tripathi The Nation London
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