Thailand Composition Festival at Burapha University from 16 to 18 July 08.

   The Thailand Composition Festival will be held from 16 - 18 July 08 at Burapha University this year. This annual event has been the growing focus for Thai new music scene since award-winning Thai composer Narong Prangcharoen began organising it in 2005 at his alma mater, Srinakharinwirot University.

   This year the festival moves to Burapha University in order to bring new music to a wider audience. The Festival will feature guest lecturers such as Chinary Ung, David Vayo, Koji Nakano, Kohei Mukai, Sean Heim, Chih-Chen Wei,  Hu Xiaoou and also many Thai composers.  It will consist of three days of seminars (during the daytime) and concerts at night.

   Centerpiece of the performances is the New York New Music Ensemble, who will feature compositions by Asian and American composers including Cho-wen Chong, Chinary Ung, Eliot Carter, Joan Tower, Narongrit Dhamabutra, and Narong Prangcharoen on the first night concert.  Moreover, Susan Ung, , Lynn Vartan, Tom Buckner, Cha-Lin Liu, Stacey Fraser will perform compositions by  the guests composers culminating in a Chinary Ung and his friends tribute concert on the final night.
 
   Lectures include David Vayo on improvisation for composers, American Soprano Stacey Fraser who will talk about the technique and repertoire of 20th and 21st Century vocal music. Chinary Ung will give a lecture about the current Asian Composer movement.

   Says Prangcharoen, "It is very intensive festival. You will have to join all the day seminars for three days and also listen to some new pieces at the night concerts. It is wonderful experience for all of the participants."

   The New York New Music Ensemble will also hold a panel discussion on New Music where they will just talk about how they approach brand new music, why they choose to play a particular new work and so on.

   Burapha University is located in Bansaen in Chonburi, 100 km east of Bangkok in the district better known for Pattaya. For more information email Narong Prangcharoen at narong@narongmusic.com