Musica Viva Thailand

SCHOOLS PROGRAM

Bring the Concert Hall to Your School

We are excited to establish the Musica Viva Thailand Schools Program - the first of its kind in the region. This program provides a unique platform for professional performers to take up mini residencies and engage with students and the school community through an immersive rehearsals, masterclasses and professional chamber music concerts. We will foster a deeper connection between professional musicians and the school's music community by providing opportunities for music students, staff and the general public to engage with our artists.

Overview

1. Solo Masterclasses: Students will participate in masterclasses or Q&A sessions with our musicians. This hands-on experience will allow students to learn from our professional musicians, receive personalised feedback and develop their technical and artistic skills.

1. Rehearsal Observations: Music students will have the opportunity to attend rehearsals and witness professionals at work, shaping and refining their performances. This will provide valuable insights into the creative process and help students develop a deeper understanding of the music-making process. We can put aside time after rehearsals if students want to meet musicians and ask questions to enhance their learning.

2. Workshops with the School Ensembles: Our professional musicians can integrate with the school ensembles, playing alongside students and providing additional coaching. This collaborative experience will enhance the students' skills and confidence, while also offering our musicians a chance to mentor and inspire the next generation of musicians.

Benefits of the Program

The proposed residency program offers numerous benefits, including:

Enhanced musical education and development for students.
Increased engagement and appreciation for music among the community
Opportunities for professional musicians to mentor and inspire the next generation
A unique and enriching experience for staff members
Increased visibility and exposure for the school’s hall and our concert series

Contact Us

An artistic residency program will not only enrich the musical experience for our audiences but also foster a deeper connection between our professional musicians and the School community. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss this proposal in further detail and explore how we can work together to create a memorable and enriching experience for all involved.

Video Samples

Our Team

Graeme Norris has a wealth of musical experience both on and off the stage, intimately familiar with all aspects relating to performance, education, orchestral management, artistic planning, and artist development.

Graeme has a unique understanding of musical life in Asia, having performed full-time with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) from 2010 - 2015 and as a Guest Principal with both the MPO and Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Graeme Norris

Managing Director - Master Music Consulting,

The Pattaya Violin Centre

since then. Working closely with MPO management to create productive rehearsal schedules and interesting programming ideas, Graeme initiated the inaugural Side-by-Side Chamber Music program, leading the Mendelssohn Octet with MPO and MPYO players. He tutored the 1st violins and coached the whole string section of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (MPYO) from 2011 - 2015, and was credited with transforming the performance style and ensemble skills of the string section.

In Australia, Graeme mentored the first ever postgraduate course, Master of Music (Orchestral Performance), a collaborative effort between the University of Western Australia and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO), which focused on orchestral training, community outreach and career support for the next generation of musicians. In shaping the program, he provided one-on-one mentoring, academic skill development, community engagement training, carefully curated orchestral experiences with feedback and musical skill development, all of which came together to form a holistic approach to orchestral training.

Graeme has lectured in both violin and ensemble studies at the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia, and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University. He is a passionate youth orchestra coach, having worked as a faculty member with the Malaysian Philharmonic, Adelaide and West Australian Youth Orchestras with many of his former students going on to win professional orchestral positions or rising through the ranks to become Concertmaster of their youth orchestras.

In Thailand since 2021 as Managing Director of Master Music Consulting in Thailand, Graeme launched a highly popular Concert Series in Pattaya which hosts world-class performers, from both Thailand and overseas. Graeme performs regularly with Pro Musica Bangkok and Om & Friends in chamber music concerts around Thailand and is a regular guest artist teaching at music camps in Thailand. He also runs the yearly Advanced Violin program for violinists at the at the Suzuki Institute of Indonesia, involving solo masterclasses, chamber music coaching and directing the chamber orchestra.

Having worked in orchestral leadership positions for two decades, Graeme has served on a variety of committees including Artistic Planning & Programming, Education, Community Outreach, and Scheduling.

As a soloist, he has appeared with the Melbourne, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras as well as Orchestra Victoria, the Malaysian Philharmonic Chamber Players, the Melbourne and Adelaide Youth Orchestras and the Melbourne String Ensemble.

Graeme has also directed ensembles in the Melbourne and Adelaide International Arts Festivals and has held Concertmaster positions with the Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, as well as performing in various Principal positions with the Malaysian Philharmonic, Singapore Symphony and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras.

Omporn Kowintha

Founding Chairperson - Thailand Association for Talent Education

Artistic Director - Om & Friends

Director - Omri Music Studio

Omporn Kowintha is one of the most sought-after violin instructors in Thailand, with her expertise highly coveted by aspiring musicians. She runs the esteemed "Omri Music Studio," and holds a distinguished position as one of the founding board members and the founding Chairperson of the Thailand Association for Talent Education. Established in 2017, the Thailand Association for Talent Education is dedicated to promoting the

renowned Suzuki Method, a pioneering approach to music education within Thailand. Among Omporn's notable endeavours is the "Om and Friends" concert series which she initiated in 2018 as a means to share her passion for classical music through performances alongside her esteemed colleagues. With this series, Omporn and her fellow musicians aim to create a wealth of performance opportunities for classical musicians in Thailand, inspiring the next generation of artists and audiences alike, broadening the local audience's exposure to the captivating live performances of classical music.

Omporn's versatility as a violinist and violist has left an indelible mark on the musical landscape of Thailand. Her talents have graced numerous prestigious chamber music ensembles and orchestras, including the renowned Bangkok String Quartet, the Artist Ensemble of Bangkok, Pro Musica, and the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, where she served as the esteemed principal second violin for many years, testament to her exceptional artistry.

Omporn Kowintha began her violin lessons with Prof. Choochart Pitaksakorn at the age of thirteen. She participated in the Thai Youth Orchestra and served as its Concertmaster from 1994-1996. She received her Bachelor’s Degree with Honors in Music Education from Chulalongkorn University in 1997. She was granted a scholarship from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 1998-1999 which enabled her to study with Michael Ma. In 2000, Omporn went to the U.S.A., and studied violin with Kathyrn Lucktenberg and Fritz Gearhart at the University of Oregon. She also studied Suzuki violin pedagogy with Shelley Rich and was a violin instructor at the Suzuki Program of the University of Oregon’s Community Music Institute during the time she was there. Omporn received her master’s degree in violin performance and pedagogy in 2003.

Our Musicians

Some of the world-class professional musicians we engage for our performance and education activities

Jonathan Weigle

Jonathan Weigle is equally successful as a soloist, chamber and orchestra musician on international stages.

He has been principal cellist of the Cologne Chamber Orchestra since 2015 and regularly plays at the same position at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London and the Orchester de Chambre de Paris. He has also made guest appearances with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.

Leslie Tan

Leslie Tan is a founding member of Red Dot Baroque and the T’ang Quartet, has performed to critical acclaim in major venues and festivals worldwide.

In a career that has spanned 35 years, ranging from orchestral to chamber and solo concerts; from contemporary and cross-disciplinary works to historically informed performances, Leslie is sought after both as a pedagogue and concert artiste.

Leslie is a champion of outreach activities, and musical and transformative education in the ASEAN region, teaching in different festivals and projects.

Yada Lee

Yada Lee has a distinguished international career as a passionate orchestral musician and a concert violinist. This season’s highlights include her Thailand Cultural Center solo debut of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, an Asia tour and European residency with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra alongside Gábor Takács-Nagy, commanding chamber music collaboration projects and solo recitals across Asia.

In 2023 Yada enjoyed her roles as a curator and an artist in various projects ranging from solo and chamber music recitals to directing and leading chamber orchestras.

Miti Wisuthumporn

Miti Wisuthumporn is Principal Violist of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, and is a viola lecturer at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts and Faculty of Music Education in Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Humanities in Kasetsart University, and the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music.

Anna Takeda

Thai/Japanese Violinst Anna Takeda studied violin with Takashi Nagamine, Toru Yasunaga at the Senzoku College of Music and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree as Summa cum Laude in March 2015. She has performed in renowned halls such as Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Liszt Academy Grand Hall, the Béla Bartók National Hall, Tokyo Opera City, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and Suntory Hall Tokyo.

Chot Buasuwan

Chot Buasuwan is Assistant Concertmaster of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and is a founding member of the award-winning Siam Sinfonietta where he held the position of Concertmaster from 2012. As concertmaster he has led the orchestra on award-winning tours around the world and performed in Musikverein in Vienna, Konzerthaus Berlin, Disney Hall and Carnegie Hall. He has also been a guest concertmaster for the Siam Philharmonic Orchestra.