I've heard the name and praise for Thai music wizard Trisdee Na Patalung, and like many others, I became an admirer and finally went to see him in concert. But not until I learned more about him and his music did I discover that without the right direction and support, a talent like his could have been buried in the formal Thai education system.
If you don't know him already, here is a short biography of a young man who deserves a book: Trisdee is a successful conductor who works extensively in Europe, including the Netherlands Opera Studio, where he works as conductor and resident coach. Trisdee made his operatic conducting debut in 2006 when he was only 20. Critics describe him as a living example of the word "genius". Now he is with Columbia Artists Management, the same agent as many of the world's leading artists.
Trisdee didn't start his musical education very young, as did other child prodigies. He began at 13. Two years later, he met his present master, composer and conductor Somtow Sucharitkul. It was a turning point in his life. He turned his back on formal education after finishing Mathayom 3 (Grade 9) to pursue music as his career.
Dropping out from school might not sound extraordinary for those who know Trisdee today, but at 15 this gem was still unpolished. Most parents would faint if their child wanted to quit school at 15 for music.
"I was thinking hard about it, but I believe in Somtow, who saw my son's potential. I told myself, the worst case would be him ending up not so successful. Even as a good pianist, he would still earn more than an average degree holder," says Bancha, Trisdee's father.
Mutual trust between Somtow, Trisdee and his parents has paved the way to success for this young musical genius. Trisdee earned the trust of Somtow, who was ready to devote himself to bringing up this rising star, while his parents were confident in both master and son. Had one of them lost faith, Trisdee would not have had a chance to represent Thailand on the world's classical stage.
Bancha says that his son won him over for the first time when he passed the Grade 8 piano test after less than two years of study.
"He wanted a grand piano and I said he had to prove that he was serious about playing. He asked how he could prove it, and then we made a deal. He passed Grade 8 piano, and with that he proved his point.
"My brother is a pilot and he is crazy about piano. We used to have one at home, but when he left and Trisdee was first interested in learning the instrument, the piano had gone," he adds.
As Trisdee has said: "My father and uncle love classical music, but I didn't have any interest until I was 13. We used to have a grand piano in the house, but I never touched it."
Nor did Bancha force him to. His motto is admirable: "Art is happiness and one should do it for happiness."
Neither Somtow nor Bancha regret helping Trisdee down this path. Somtow knew that he'd found a special student when they met for the first time at a concert. Trisdee showed him his compositions, and Somtow was impressed and accepted him as his student.
Under Somtow's tutelage, Trisdee was exposed to a diverse range of music, and he learned through hard work and difficult challenges. At first, he still studied in Mahidol University's music programme but dropped out after less than a year, with permission from his parents. It was too much travelling for the young Trisdee, and now the real music world has given him a far better start than any formal education.
"I wouldn't take Trisda's case as a standard, but my son is very enthusiastic and energetic and needs a stage to develop. No formal education could offer him that. He must face challenges," says Buncha.
Even though Bancha has not had the slightest doubt about his decision, he is indirectly criticised by many. "They dare not ask directly, but I've been questioned so frequently. 'How will your son earn a living in the future, without formal eduction?' Or someone will politely tell me that Trisdee should have a proper degree."
A regular guest lecturer at Kasetsart and Thammsat universities and a former engineer, Bancha is not a man who turns his back on education, but he knows how to manage his talented son and he believes that Trisda doesn't need to continue in formal education at the moment. "Mainstream education can kill talent and creativity."
But in a way, the missing link to formal education is enhanced by Trisdee's youth; this seems to be a strength rather than a weakness. And the proof is the overwhelming response from audiences around the world. Of course, Trisdee's success is an exceptional case, but it reminds us all that education, formal or informal, requires genuine understanding and trust between educator and student. The search for talent may be an arduous task, but a tougher one is to find the likes of Bancha and Somtow, who know how to appreciate and develop that special talent.