Immanuel Orchestra - Music for Life 2019

Classical music lessons have been provided at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bangkok since March, 2000. It started with only one teacher, a few instruments and no budget, but has developed gradually until on March 6th, 2019 the project became officially registered as the Music for Life Foundation (MFL).

MFL’s objectives are to:

 - Let the children experience the joy of playing music
 - Develop the children’s social skills by playing in an orchestra
 - Develop the children’s discipline and ability to focus
 - Stimulate children to develop and seek higher education
 - Encourage the children to actively contribute to develop their local community
 - Discourage the children from getting involved in illegal drugs
 - Develop musicians to help lead music in the Lutheran Church of Thailand

Activities:
 Through the year 2019 Immanuel Music School/Music for Life Foundation offered 2871 hours of free individual instrumental lessons and 556 hours of group lessons including orchestra rehearsals, string quartets, bands, choir, summer school for new beginners, rhythm lessons and music theory for young people living in Klong Toey and surrounding areas. During 2019 there have been 68 students (counting only the children joining 20 hours or more throughout the year). Most of the teaching has been done at Immanuel Lutheran Church during afternoons/evenings and weekends, but there has also been 3 rehearsal camps outside of Bangkok.

In addition to the weekly lessons there has been several special projects during 2019:

12th May: Charity Opera Gala Dinner

“Tonight we Sing” 12^th May, 2019 was a major fund-raising project raising more than 600,000 THB for MFL. A group of supporters and Bangkok Music Society (BMS), together with MFL, arranged an opera gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency Sukhumvit Hotel. More than 200 performers including the Immanuel Orchestra, BMS choir, soloists and dancers participated.

With London Chamber Orchestra at Ramathibodi Hospital

Toyota Classics “Start your Impossible” is a 3-year project, and 2019 was the 2^nd year of the project organized by Toyota. During 2019 small group lessons were arranged for free at Viemus Music School for 3 months and students were invited to a special rehearsal camp. 18 students from the Immanuel C-orchestra participated. This led up to a masterclass day, workshop and performances together with the London Chamber Orchestra in October 2019.

In Hong Kong

MFL also cooperated with several international schools during 2019. Most notable was the exchange programme started with Hong Kong International School (HKIS). A group from HKIS came to Bangkok in March, and a group from Immanuel visited Hong Kong in November.

In February, 2019, MFL Headteacher Varin Artvilai (Ton) went to Japan to play concerts and meet supporting groups there. Several concerts have also been arranged in Bangkok together with Japanese musicians and supporters.

During 2019, musicians from Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, Norway visited the Immanuel School on two occasions to provide teaching support for the students.

Opera Turandot (children's choir)

During 2019 Immanuel Orchestras and smaller ensembles had more than 60 performances:

·       Welcoming visitors at Immanuel Church

·       Playing at schools and hospitals

·       Performing at other foundations

·       House concerts

·       “Official” performances, including playing for the prime minister

·       TV performances,

Concert playing Handel: Dixit Dominus

·       Participating at the Beethoven flash mob with Thai Youth Orchestra and Siam Sinfonietta

·       Performing at the Thailand Cultural Center

·       Performing major musical works such as: Handel, Dixit Dominus (together with Japanese musicians), Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass (together with BMS and ISB) and the opera “Turandot” at Bangkok International Choir and Dance Festival (the children choir parts)

30th November: Ola Gjeilo's Sunrise Mass

All these performances were great experiences for the students and helped develop skills and self confidence in performing for other people and being part of the wider community. It also helped to further develop MFL’s cooperation with other individuals and organizations, and to promote the foundation.

The MFL-students also went to 19 concerts during 2019, after receiving invitations and free tickets.

On December 21st, 2019 a new project called “Project for developing the quality of life in Khlong Toey Community through music” was started. MFL received a support of 990,000 THB from the Port Authority of Thailand for this purpose. This project is planned to last at least 3 years (dependent on reaching the goal of at least 30 participants). The project is taking place at “Music House” in the Nong Mai Community, Klong Toey.

Scholarship students and teacher development:

MFL supported 5 music students in 2019 (4 university students receiving 100% scholarships and 1 high school student receiving travel support):

Fai and family at Graduation

Sinsupa Pantawong (Fai), finished her bachelor’s in music at College of Music, Mahidol University during the spring 2019, and started as a fulltime teacher in MFL in May. Due to the initiative and sponsoring from one of MFL’s advisors, Fai can continue to develop her teaching skills for one more year by taking private lessons with Bangkok’s leading Suzuki teacher Omporn Kowintha.

Anongnath Duangthong (Ice, violin) and Reephaw Saenthawidet (Fiw, cello) are finishing their 4^th year as students at Princess Galyani Institute of Music in June, 2020.

Narongtep Somporn (Best, playing double bass) was a 3^rd year student at Kasetsart University and Sudawadee Thaparut was a last year high school music student.

In July, 2019 three of MFL’s teachers had the opportunity to join the teacher development seminar: “Excellent from the Start”. This was a for day seminar and workshop arranged by the Sugree Charoensook Foundation.

At the end of the year 2019, MFL had four full time staff: 2 in administration, 2 full time music teachers plus 4 part-time music teachers and 3 scholarship students teaching regularly. In addition to this, several volunteers and guest teachers have been teaching occasionally.

The founder of the project, Solveig Meling Johannessen works with the project daily through e-mail and social media from Norway. She has also visited the project for 12 weeks during 2019.

MFL Board in 2019:
 1. Varin Artvilai (Chairman of MFL, Headteacher of the project),
 2. Saranya Saratham (vice chairman of MFL, conductor of BMS and Immanuel Children’s Choir),
 3. Pranee Saiyotha (Secretary of MFL, general manager of the project),
 4. Chommanad Wongkeawmuun (treasurer of MFL, representative from Immanuel Congregation),
 5. Sirichom Srikratum (parent’s representative to the board)
 6. Wipichai Udomsukseetorn (board member),
 7. Suttipat Akkaranantapong (board member)

(The Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCT) was offered a place on the board but abstained.)

Advisors to the Board:
 1. Sirilaksana Khoman
 2. Thirawuth Khoman
 3. Jonathan Mann (Artistic Director and Conductor of Immanuel A-orchestra)
 4. Dag Johannessen
 5. Solveig Meling Johannessen

Interaction between Music for Life and Immanuel Lutheran Congregation:

Students from MFL are leading the music (worship band) at almost all Sunday services in Immanuel Church. On special occasions such as Easter, Christmas, or Mother’s Day, the whole string orchestra will play.
 Students living close to Immanuel Church often choose, not only to join music lessons, but also join other activities arranged by the church congregation, such as Sunday school, church camps, congregation meals and more. By coming to the church almost every day for many years some students feel Immanuel Church to be their second home. Some of them have been baptized, become members of the church and contribute as leaders. MFL uses several rooms in Immanuel Church during the week for free only paying part of the electricity bill.

Music for Life is not evangelizing directly through their activities, but people that come in contact with the project experience God’s love through the school’s activities.

Financing:

Music For Life had a budget of roughly 2.6 million Baht in 2019 and the activities are fully financed by local sponsors and income from performances and concerts.