Thai Art Exhibition

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756 – 1791)
REQUIEM in D minor (K 626)


Wednesday March 16th, 2011 - 7.30pm
at Siam Society, Bangkok
131 Asoke Montri Road, Sukhumvit 21
Free admission

Friday March 18th, 2011 - 7.30pm
at Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok – 23 Oriental Avenue, near Oriental Hotel
300 baths (100 baths for students)
- concert to be confirmed -

Fuengalada Prawang & Kamonporn Huncharoen, Sopranos
Sassaya Chavalit, Mezzo – Soprano
Nutthaporn Thammati, Ténor
Tulanan Narasetapisarn, Basse
Mahidol University Baroque Choir & Orchestra
Bahtiyor Allaberganov, Organ
Henri Pompidor, Conductor

The Siam Society under Royal Patronage proudly presents W.A. Mozart’s Requiem, to be performed by the Mahidol University Baroque Choir and Orchestra under the baton of Henri Pompidor.



Universally recognized as one of the greatest choral masterpieces, the Requiem has long been shrouded in mystery. In July 1791, Mozart undertook the commission for an Austrian nobleman, little knowing that he was to write the requiem for himself: he died on December 5 of the same year, at the early age of 35. Inevitably, the secrecy surrounding the anonymous commission, the circumstances of Mozart's death, the unfinished state of the work, and its completion by his copyist, the composer Süssmayr, have precipitated two centuries of romantic speculation and scholarly controversy.



The completed work follows the traditional Latin liturgy and was first performed on January 2, 1793 at a benefit concert for Mozart’s widow Constanza. Since then, it has gained tremendous recognition and has been performed at many prestigious occasions including the memorial services of Joseph Haydn, Frederic Chopin and John F. Kennedy.

In 2002, on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a worldwide “Rolling Requiem” project was launched in memory of the 3,000 victims, consisting of a continuous series of performances of the Requiem, circling the earth, crossing all time zones, each beginning at 8:47 a.m. local time, thus marking the time the first plane hit the World Trade Centre.



This masterpiece choral music will be performed at the Siam Society, 131 Soi Asoke, Sukhumvit 21, on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 7.30 p.m.

A second concert is scheduled March 18th at Assumption Cathedral Bangkok (near Oriental Hotel) at 7.30 p.m (to be confirmed).

Show moreFor details please call The Siam Society on 02-661-6470 or Mahidol University College of Music on 02-800-2525 ext 154/155.

For more information about this event as well as other activities and events, you may also visit our websites: www.siam-society.org and www.music.mahidol.ac.th

A Baroque Christmas Concert in Bangkok

Mahidol University Baroque Choir and Soloists
Mahidol University Baroque Orchestra
Henri Pompidor, Conductor

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
&
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
at 8.00pm
Chulalongkorn University Auditorium
(CU Cultural Building)
Bangkok


The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Embassy of France proudly present A baroque Christmas concert with Marc Antoine Charpentier and Johann Sebastian Bach on Tuesday, December 21st & Wednesday 22nd, 2010 at the Chulalongkorn Auditorium (CU Cultural Building) in Bangkok at 8.00pm.

Under the baton of Henri Pompidor, the choral director at Mahidol University, the concert will feature the Mahidol University Baroque Choir and Orchestra performing three famous choral baroque pieces, including Charpentiers Te Deum and two Bach Cantatas for the Advent and Christmas period.

The concert will first take us to the Grand Sicle of Louis XIV in Versailles. With Marc Antoine Charpentier and his well-known Te Deum (H146), we have the unique opportunity to taste the great music of the Chapelle royale de Versailles at the end of the 17th century in France. This piece for choir, soloists and instrumental ensemble (with very famous fanfare in the opening)
traces a sacred link uniting the King and all his people. It represents one of the best spotlights on the French baroque musical language, whose archaic and modern style of writing and vocal and instrumental colors are always written with brightness and elegance.

The second part of the concert takes us to Christmas under Bach's musical rule, yet the glorious feeling is quite similar. The two Bach Cantatas introduces Christmas time with two feasting pieces which give joy and happiness to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 140) is set as a call to ask the Christian to be ready ("Hey, wake up, the voice
calls to us One of the characteristics of this cantata is the personification of characters sung by solo singers interacting together in a musical dialogue follows a long tradition in European music history.

The second cantata Christen, รคtzet diesen Tag (BWV 63), is also exceptional because of its own different structure with a complete lack of chorale, the traditional Lutheran hymn. Built in symmetrical and pyramidal structure, this cantata shows a wonderful vocal music with soloist, chorus and orchestra. In this piece, Christmas does not represent only the birth of the Jesus Christ, but a period of transition for everyone, a hope for the people who suffer in the
world they can find comfort and support.

Tickets are available for 300 THB and 150 THB (for students). Due to the expected high demand, advance booking is highly recommended!

For more information about the concert and tickets reservation, please Email
gisela.lerdmaleewong@diplo.de

Mahidol University, College of Music, proudly presents
KING ARTHUR A "Dramatick Opera" by Henry Purcell.

Date and Venue: 2nd and 3rd March 2010, 7.00 pm at Mahidol University College of Music Auditorium (Salaya).

     Based on the epic story of the Christian British King Arthur and its battles against the Heathen Germanic tribe of the Saxons, this is a so-called semi-opera in five acts (Music composition by H. Purcell, Libretto by J. Dryden). It is a very special piece of music indeed: major roles are being spoken and just accompanied by music, soloists, choir and orchestra are performing, and the story takes us into a magic world of spirits, sirens, and nymphs. It contains beautiful songs and dance rhythms, thus it is inspiring both to eyes and ears.

     King Arthur is one of the very few Baroque Operas which are still being performed regularly around the globe. This unique event promises to be a major highlight of the current music season in Thailand .

     King Arthur is a very special semi-opera, and our Thai audience (even myself!) is not very conversant with this form of art. In the Baroque time theatre was something very different from theatre at later times, using a lot of allegories and masks (representing those allegories), which leads to a much more symbolic performance (quite unfamiliar to us now!).

     This production will feature young singers from the Voice department and baroque instrumental performers, all from the College of Music .

Tickets price: 200 THB for adults, 100 THB for students.

For tickets reservation, please call 02-800-2525 ext 154, 155.

     For more information about this event, as well as on other activities and performances of the Mahidol University , College of Music , you may also visit our website at: www.music.mahidol.ac.th