Sr. Mary Placid Abejo, OSB, Dean of Music, Mrs. Ramona Balingcos, Administrative Assistant to the Dean, and Mr. J. Greg Zuniega, faculty member, visited Bangkok upon the invitation of the Sarasas Ektra School of Bangkok, the first bilingual school in the country last December 16-19, 2005.

The trip fostered ties between our School of Music and Sarasas School, which provides solid training in Thai traditional music, a source of great pride for the Thai people, while at the same time promoting the performance of Western musical instruments in

both grade school and high school departments.

The group from SSC was greeted by students who performed as ensemble groups playing on violins, cellos, woodwind and brass instruments.  The highlight of the occasion was the rendition of Thai music, with the students first, performing on their indigenous strings, woodwinds and percussion instruments.  This was followed by their teachers, who demonstrated their expertise on such instruments.  In response, SSC piano faculty member Mr. Zuniega offered an impromptu mini recital.  As a fitting finale to the short visit, the School’s Director presented a Thai percussion instrument to Sr. Placid.

A side trip to the Mahidol University Conservatory of Music, with its world class facilities, was part of the group’s itinerary.  The institution played host to the South East Asian Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, wherein our music students participated last year. n

With the Deputy Director of Mahidol University College of Music