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Published on January 4, 2008

On a rather quiet day, we decided to wander around Verbier, hoping to run into world-class musicians like Maxim Vengerov, Martha Argerich or Mischa Maisky.

However, during this search for extraordinary musicians, our eye was caught by a group of neatly dressed Asians whom we knew right away were part of Princess Galyani Vadhana's entourage. While Uthaisri took the lead and started greeting everyone, I started getting anxious because I knew we were on the verge of meeting the Princess.

And, sure enough, before I knew it, before us stood the Princess herself. My heart sank and I was filled with mixed feelings of anxiety, joy, nervousness and excitement, all of which were overwhelmed by an immense feeling of respect and honour.

Then, on Wednesday, my heart and that of everyone else in Thailand sank - only this time it was because of sadness.

Though the passing of Her Royal Highness was heartbreaking for all Thais, only musicians could really understand how big a loss it was. And I'm not talking about it in terms of finances.

Of course, all the funding the Princess made available for us was nothing short of generous, but what we will miss the most is the moral support she gave us. I honestly cannot remember the number of times I performed in her presence.

I distinctively remember the first few performances being a complete nightmare for me. I used to be out of my mind with worry because, back then as an 11-year-old, playing solo in front of hundreds of people was scary enough, let alone having to play in front of a royal person sitting in the very first row.

However, as I became more experienced, my feelings and attitude changed. My nervousness had become barely noticeable. Yes, I had become more accustomed to playing in public.

But what really helped was that encouraging smile from Her Royal Highness as she watched me perform. This is very different from the smiles a performer gets from other great musicians. They are usually disparaging grins that often dent a young musician's confidence.

Therefore, I truly believe, we were fortunate to have someone like Princess Galyani to watch over us - one can never put a price on that beautiful smile.

As of today, we may no longer have the Princess watching over us, supporting us with her kind words and encouragement. Her tragic demise may have hit us hard, but I believe we should turn this sorrow into strength and determination to help us overcome obstacles in the future.

Our mentor might have gone, but the dream she had of seeing Thai people up there with world-class musicians must live on and should some day be realised.

Dechopol Kowintaweewat received financial support from The Music Education Fund for Young Musicians under the Royal Patronage of Princess Galyani during his first year of study at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He is now enrolled in a bachelor's degree programme at Oberlin College in Ohio, US.

The Nation