- Thailand’s first professional orchestra, which has become an international sensation in only 15 years of existence
- The Polish composer Henryk Wieniawski was the greatest violinist of his time; he wrote and also played two exceptionally virtuosic violin concertos, which are nowadays played only by the greatest violin virtuosos
- George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein drew inspiration from European musical tradition and American jazz; they created a whole range of musical hits and paved the way for American classical music
- The Italian conductor Alfonso Scarano boasts a broad repertoire of classical and modern musical works, and has been a guest conductor with internationally acclaimed orchestras; for the past five years he has been the principal conductor of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
Programme:
N. Prangcharoen: Phenomenon
H. Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22
L. Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
G. Gershwin: An American in Paris
The Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra played its first concert in 2005, and in the years since has become an internationally recognised orchestra whose repertoire includes the works of composers past and present. The orchestra has flourished under the baton of its chief conductor, the Italian Alfonso Scarano, whose repertoire includes established opera works but also more modern pieces, especially 20th century ballets. Scarano is also a guest conductor for orchestras such as the PKF — Prague Philharmonia and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. In this concert programme the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the work of their compatriot Narong Prangchareon, whose music is described by critics as being modern, colourful, and accessible. In the composer’s words, the work Phenomenon came about as an attempt to express the feelings he experiences when he sees unexplained or mysterious phenomena, such as the northern lights. The program continues with the lush and popular Violin Concerto No. 2 by the Polish violin virtuoso Henryk Wieniawski, performed by the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra together with the Hungarian violinist Kristóf Baráti. The masterful playing of Baráti, who has performed on some of the world’s most famous stages (as a debutant at the Verbier Festival he performed all of Bach’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin), is admired for his flawless technique and breathtaking nuances of musical expression. The concert will end with two jazz-coloured works by New World composers.
