Immanuel Orchestra 2018

summer school 2018

The Immanuel Music School was established in 2000, and is currently teaching classical music such as violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, orchestra, band, choir and music theory to children and youth in the Klong Toey communities. Students are being taught after school at 4-8 pm on weekdays in addition to weekends and during holidays. There are approximately 75 children and youths aged 7-20 years old, receiving individual- and group lessons.

Students helping to registrate instruments donated

Immanuel Music School is 100% self-reliant financially. Most support comes from sponsors/donations and some income comes from performances such as concerts and commercial gigs. In 2018 we received extraordinary many instruments as donations including 56 violins, 2 violas, 14 cellos and 4 doubble basses!

Music plays an important role in changing the lives of children in the community and nearby. Several of the children have gotten the opportunity to higher education as a result of the music school. Currently 4 members of the music school are receiving full scholarships to study music at university.

Fai, her violin teacher and Tong
(piano acc.) after Fai's junior recitel

Sinsupa Pantawong (Fai) a violin student at the school is on her 4^th and final year at her Bachelors in Music Performance (violin) at Mahidol University’s College of Music, Reehpaw saenthavidet (Fiw), playing cello and Anongnath Duangwong (Ice), playing violin, are in their 3^rd year of their bachelors in Music Performance at Princess Galyani Wathana Institute of Music and Narongthep Somphorn (Best), playing double bass is on his second year of his bachelor in Music Performance at Kasetsart University. In addition, the school is supporting term fees and traveling costs for Sudawadee Thaparut (Pupae), who is studying music at high school.

The project also aims to give incentive to improve the children's academic skills, social development, self esteem and public expression. Music makes children happy and brings hope for their future, as it helps open opportunities for further study. It also helps these children and youth, who are living in drugs and crime-filled environments from being involved in unhealthy and illegal activities.

In addition to offerering free music lessons to children and youths in the deprived area surrounding Immanuel Church and Home of Praise, Immanuel Music School also wishes to expand the work to other parts of Thailand.
At present two of our scholarship students come from Lutheran churches in other parts of the country (North and North-East Thailand). For both of them LST became a bridge to Immanuel Music School, and later to music studies.

 Activities of the Immanuel Music School in 2018

C-orchestra rehearsal

-          Daily Individual lessons at Immanuel Church and Home of Praise (Nong Mai community).

-          Regular rehearsals with four orchestras divided into different levels (The A, AB, C, and D orchestras) and a worship band.

Orchestra Concert together with sq from KSO 11th May 2018

-          3 orchestra concerts at Immanuel Church, Kukrit Institute and ELCT main Church in soi 50. The A-Orchestra performed music such as Shubert 5^th Symphony, Bach Concerto in d-minor, Mozart 25^th Symphony, and Vivaldi Concerto in a-minor.

-          Performances at various events at embassies, international schools, shopping centres, private homes, companies, foundations, restaurants, banquets, weddings etc.

Visit from Taiwan

-          Performances for visiting groups from various countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Norway, England, Germany etc.

-          Being the orchestra for Bangkok Music Society’s Choir (BMS) at two concerts (Vivaldi’s Gloria in June and Bach’s Magnificat in December).

-         

Opera Carmen

Performing in the opera “Carmen”, together with the international Opera Company “Teatro di San Carlo” of Naples and world-class conductor, Zubin Mehta.

-          Being featured in several nationally broadcasted television programs and documentaries.

Rehearsal camp A-orchestra

-          2 rehearsal camps in Cha-Am for Immanuel’s orchestras and a summer school for new beginners in Immanuel during the school’s long holiday.

-          Organising a music camp for children at Baan Bu, Buriram  and the string students of the university of Buriram (Northeast Thailand).

-          Some of the A-orchestra students joined a camp arranged by College of Music, Mahidol University

-          One student joined a rehearsal camp and concert with Siam Sinfonietta.

Group singing Star Wars with Opera Siam

-          A group of children sang in Star Wars with Opera Siam.

-          Playing in worship services at Immanuel Church on occasions such as Good Friday, Easter, Christmas etc.

-          Arranging/playing a Flashmob at Bangkok’s biggest Shopping Mall together with other Lutheran Churches just before Christmas.

-          listening to concerts with several professional orchestras including Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

-          Improving the administration of Immanuel Music School and Music for Life. This includes hiring two administrative employees.

-          Applying to become a independently registered foundation. (The "Music for Life Foundation")

Music teachers and administrators at Immanuel Music School:

Ton giving out certificates at the end
of the summer school for new students

Varin Artvilai (Ton) has been a full-time teacher and conductor in Immanuel Music School since June 2015. Prior to this he was paid part time for several months. Ton completed his Bachelors in Performance (Violin) at Mahidol College of Music in April 2014. He started to learn violin at the Immanuel Music School and at Home of Praise when he was a child. During 2018 he has been the local musical leader, teaching individual violin lessons, orchestras, music theory and leading most of the performances by the orchestras and smaller groups. In addition, Ton has frequently represented the music school in various documentaries and television programs..

Jonathan Mann is a famous orchestra conductor from the UK, who began as the Artistic Director for the Immanuel Orchestra from 1^st June, 2015. Although he moved to Europe summer 2017, he has continued his contribution to Immanuel Music School in 2018 by choosing the repertoire and making plans for the A-orchestra, in addition to leading the orchestra for 2 concert projects (May and November). He has also mentored most of the young musicians in the orchestra.

Tong accomping solo concert 2nd April 2018

Tanutt Tanavoravongsa (Tong) has been teaching piano in Immanuel 1-2 afternoons per week since 22^nd June 2015. During 2018 he has also been teaching some viola.

Vorapon Thanukmeesinkul (Dew) started as a part-time cello teacher in Immanuel Music School in October 2017 and continued until the end of February 2018. Through him, we also got in contact with cello teachers at Mahidol, who organised a camp for some of our students in January 2018.

Saara and cello students 18th December 2018

Saara Nordblom has been helping out occasionally teaching cello at Immanuel Music School for many years already, but from August to December 2018 she was teaching regularly as a part time cello teacher.

Kru Prim at interview/audition

Pimrapee Trichavaraj (Prim) started as a part time violin teacher at Immanuel Music School in August 2018. She has been following up many of the new students who started playing at the Summer Course in 2018

Thachapol Namwong (Mont) started as a part time viola/violin teacher at Immanuel Music School in December 2018.

Our 5 scholarship students and 3-4 of the older kids from the A-orchestra have been helping to teach individual and group lessons throughout the year. Thanks to Fai, Ice, Fiw, Best, Pupae, Kok, Foam, Khanoon og Earn!

Manasanan Samleephan (Yo) first helped out voluntarily as a mum, but from October 2017 she started to get a small compensation for administrating the time schedules for teaching and keeping the rooms clean and tidy. During 2018, she has also bought food for performances, equipment for teaching, copying music, paying out monthly salaries and scholarships, scanned and put receipts in folders, taken care of the school’s money and filled in the statistics of lessons to Google Sheets. She is also keeping track of all the instruments and sheet music.

Pranee Saiyotha started to work at Immanuel Music School in April 2018. One of her main targets has been to work with the creation of the “Music for Life Foundation”. She has been doing research work, filled out the application papers, talked with candidates for the board and more. In addition, she is doing preparations before concerts such as ordering concert halls, making concert programs, sending out invitations etc. Pranee is also responsible for following up sponsors and updating Immanuel Music School’s Facebook page. Last, but not least, she is the main contact to Immanuel Congregation.

Solveig Meling Johannessen started Immanuel Music School together with Dag, her husband in the year 2000. Due to Dag's health situation, they had to move to Norway in October 2016. From Norway, Solveig is still following up on and advising teachers, students and administration through social medias. She also comes back to Thailand for some periods 3-4 times a year to help out.

Immanuel Orchestra would also like to give a big thanks to other musicians contributing to musical development during 2018, such as the string quartet from Kristiansand helping to teach at the summer school and play at the concert in May, Somtow Sucharitkul for conducting Schubert Symphony 5 in April, the teacher team from College of Music, Mahidol for arranging a camp in January, and Saranya Saratham for leading the choir rehearsals before Carmen and practicing with the orchestra before the 2 concerts with BMS. 

More memories from the year 2018:

Free tickets for TPO's New Year Concert 6th January 2018

String Festival at Mahidol University 9-11th January 2018

Playing at The Commons Restaurant 5th January 2018

Performance at St. Andrews International School 20th January 2018

Receiving new violins donated by Madame Michele, and afterwards out to eat 21st January 2018

TV-recording 26th January 2018

Music theory lesson 3rd February 2018

House Concert for Japanese supporters 3rd February 2018

Performance at Duang Prateep Foundation 8th February 2018

Free tickets for The Mask Concert 18th February 2018

The Japanese Society visiting, donating violin and money, 3rd March 2018

Performance at "Khlong Toey Dee Jang" 4th March 2018

Observation of Deutche Oper and SISI rehearsal 6th March 2018

Performance at Queen Sirikit Center 10th March 2018, and in the evening at Khlong Toey Wittaya School

Worship team Immanuel Church 11th March 2018

Siam Center "Pit term sang san", performance and joining activities

Playing for Thailand's prime minister Prayuth

Free tickets for Star Wars with Opera Siam 15th March 2018, a group from Immanuel also sang in the choir

"Bambi" visiting and donated money and violin, 17th March 2018

Performance and Ton also received a price at SET 19th March 2018

Playing at Thai-Chinese Exim Assosiation 150 Anniversity 24th March 2018

Rehearsing Schubert Symphony No.5 with conductor Somtow Palm Sunday 25th March 2018 

Solo Concerts 2nd and 4th April 2018

Schubert Symphony No.5 at Immanuel Church 9th April 2018

Jatava Quartet playing at concert 9th April 2018

Children on their way to first day of Immanuel Orchestras summer school for new beginners 19th April 2018

For someone their first try to hold a violin bow 19th April 2018

NMS and Norwegian bishop visiting Immanuel Orchestra 26th April 2018

Orchestra Concert at Kukrit 11th May 2018

Happy after Immanuel Orchestra Concert 11th May 2018

Receiving many new violins and cellos donated by Kraisorn Tangsiri 13th March 2018  

Playing at Immanuel Church Easter Day 1st April 2018

Preparing/making music games for the summer school 23rd April 2018

Playing music games at summer school  26th April 2018

Receiving donation of violins from Singapore International School

Concert Immanuel Orchestra's Summer School, 13th May 2018

Performance at Berkley International School 25th Ma 2018

D-orchestra rehearsal 26th May

Performance at Neilson Hays Library Book Sale 26th May 2018

Concert at Princess Galyani Institute 28th May 2018

Free tickets for concert with RBSO 30th May 2018

Vivaldi Gloria 2nd June 2018

Playing Vivaldi's Gloria with BMS at Chulalongkorn 2nd June 2018

Ton interview for JOOX World Music Day X Em Quartier 12th June 2018

Rehearsal, recording for JOOX World Music Day X Em Quartier 12th June 2018

Joox World Music Day performance 21st June 2018

Sunshine Youth Troupe from Taiwan visiting 14th August 2018

Playing at YWAM-meeting in Pattaya 2nd September 2018

Singing in Opera Carmen 12th September 2018

 Workshop and video recording with P. Nueng at Theera Music

Free tickets for ballee at TCC, The legend of the Swan Lake and the duckling 4th October 2018

Viola group rehearsal with teacher Golf at camp 15-19th October 2018

Playing games at rehearsal camp Chaam 15-19th October

Eating at seafood restaurant, camp 15-19th October 2018

A- and B-orchestra in front of Woody's house where the camp took place

Free tickets for ballee with RBSO 20th October 2018

Immanuel Orchestra's student Ice receiving price at Duang Prateep Foundation 20th October 2018

Small workshop and visit of The Age of Enlightenment Orchestra 22nd October 2018

C-orchestra camp at Woody's house 23-26th October 2018

Rehearsal at C-orchestra camp 23-26th October 2018

C-orchestra ready to go home after camp at Woody's house. Thank you very much for hosting both camps!

Home Concert at Christian Ham's house 25th October 2018

Free tickets for concert with the orchestra The Age of Enlightenment 25th October 2018

Solveig teaching May 3rd November 2018

Playing at opening of new park, Ayuttaya 5th November 2018

Going to Phuket for string Festival 8-12th November 2018

Performance at BISP, Fobissea Conferance

Free tickets for Concert with Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra 9th November 2018

Orchestra Concert at ELCT Church Soi 50, 17th November 2018

Praew being soloist playing Vivaldi Am Concerto at concert at Soi 50, 17Th November 2018

Christmas concert with Immanuel and BMS playing Bach's Magnificat and christmas songs, 30/11 and 01/12 2018

Ukulele, dance and orchestra concert with Japanese supporters 10th December 2018

Playing Christmas music outside local shopping center, Suan Plern, 14th December 2018

Flash mob at Central World 22nd December 2018

Christmas Party at Immanuel  23rd December 2018

Visit Thai Union, Kraisorn Tangsiri, our very good sponsor, 28th November 2018