Thailand Youth Choral Camp: Building from Thai to Regional and Global Community of Choral Musicians

Background

Office of Art and Culture believes firmly in the collaborative nature of art, music and cultural activities.  Our choral initiatives are not exception.  The Office started the annual Chulalongkorn University Choral Festival in 2014 with one of the purposes is to create a safe space for choral enthusiast to sing and learn in a non-competitive atmosphere, which is rare in Thailand.  To date, the festival remains the only educational, non-competitive choral event in Thailand that is balanced between excellent choral performance and a learning arena for all regardless of race, religion, gender, or political ideology.

Resulted from Chulalongkorn University Choral Festival was Thailand Youth Choral Camp organized yearly since 2016 to further encourage students from any university to learn, sing, and become friends, by bringing university choirs together in a week-long camp away from Bangkok and come back to Chulalongkorn campus for a dress rehearsal and culminating concert at Music Hall, Art and Culture Building, to complete their camp experience.  Choirs from six to seven universities participate in the camp every year with the number of campers ranging from 80-120.  

The Camp and Guest Conductor

The camp site, Centre of Learning Network for the Region, Chulalongkorn University, is provided at no charge to the campers by the university.  The facility is located in Saraburi province, two-hour drive from Bangkok.  The campers are only responsible for their meals in the camp and sheet music.  Additionally, international choirs pay for their own roundtrip airfare to Bangkok and three nights of campus housing between the camp and the culminating concert.

The soul of the camp, People and Music, gives direction for the activities in the camp.  In addition to rehearsal time, a considerable portion of camp schedule is dedicated to social (non-music) activities, group (music or non-music) activities, and yoga for singers, aiming to build a community of university choristers.  Music activities include rehearsals, voice class, and in 2019 musicianship classes and conducting workshop were added.   

Not only that singers are provided with the best learning experience in choral music, the camp is also a venue for leadership training for young choral conductors.  The conductors who bring choirs to the camp are encouraged to stay for the duration of the camp to run sectional rehearsals, warm-ups, or other preferred activities.  It is also important for campers to see their conductors taking the lead in the camp.  This is also to give a sense of ownership to all campers.  The camp name, Chulalongkorn University Youth Choral Camp, was changed to Thailand Youth Choral Camp in the second year to reflect our idea of making this camp for every camper, not only for Chulalongkorn students.

The guest conductor is always Dr. T. J. Harper, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities, Loyola Marymount University, USA, who shares the same goal of building people through music and has earned trust and established good relationship with the students since the first camp.  He worked closely and tirelessly with us to achieve our common goal.  Students also look forward to coming back to the camp to their friends, meet new friends, and work with him.  The Office, therefore, decided to invite him back to the consecutive camps for the uninterrupted continuity of the progress of the camp.

The Expansion in 2019

After the first three years, with the camp has attracted attention of international choirs in America and Southeast Asia through the Office’s international network.  Inquiries came in about international participation.  The camp in 2019, therefore, became open for international choirs.  Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA) joined the camp.  Choirs from University of Northern Colorado planned to participate in 2020 but canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

The duration of the camp was extended from five to seven days in Saraburi, which allowed more music learning experience and more time for social activities.  Morning Sing, sight-singing sessions, were added every morning led by young conductors as part of their leadership and conducting training.  The MIA conductor and her associate volunteered to share their expertise in teaching the new Musicianship Class.  Conducting workshop was added and taught by Dr. Harper.  Selected student conductors from the workshop also conduct in the culminating concert.

Plans for 2020

Following the expansion in 2019, we planned for 2020 to add another renowned American choral conductor, Dr. Jeffery Ames, Director of Choral Activities, Belmont University, as another guest conductor to lighten the load for Dr. Harper.  We would offer classes or other activities simultaneously with conducting workshop to keep students engaged either socially or musically.  Students would have a choice to participate in either class.  Choirs from Malaysia Institute of Art and University Malaya, and some students from University of Northern Colorado were planning to attend.

          We unfortunately had to cancel 2020 camp due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

Looking Towards the Future

Continuity of music activities is important to the Office of Art and Culture.  We understand it takes time to build a community of musicians and singers, therefore we were disappointed with the interruption of students’ musical growth and our community building.  However, we have words from our prospective choir that they are planning to participate in 2021 if the situation allows.

          We are looking forward to 2021 camp with hope and the best scenario in mind.