I grew up in a very musical family. My father used to sing folk songs every day with his friends after work, and that had a big impact on me from a young age.
My dad told me he didn’t mind what I chose to study, as long as I appreciated music. He was more worried about me appreciating music than my studies,
I used to be a travelling musician, playing trumpet and saxophone for a lot of different bands. On my travels, I noticed that Thailand does not really have a good music school. That’s why I left to study music in America. For a while, I thought I’d never come back!
When I was 32, I felt like I’d already died. I had the degree I wanted and a good paying job, but I didn’t know what to do with all my money. It was like everything I did was meaningless. I had to ask myself what I wanted, and where I would be of most use.
I wanted to stay in America, but America had no use for me. You could throw a rock anywhere in the USA and hit someone with a doctorate in music. That’s why I decided to come back home, where my knowledge and skills could be appreciated.
My mission was and still is to make the College of Music a place that people will regret not ever visiting. To achieve this, I must produce only the best and brightest; a place worthy of the ears of gods and angels.
Skilled musicians used to receive only compliments, flowers and applause. You can’t feed your family with any of those things. Changing those things into money, that’s what I do. I need to make sure that my students, no matter where they go to perform, are of the utmost quality.
Quality leads to credibility, and credibility means people are willing to pay for a performance.
I’m only here to do my best. I don’t care what other people think of me or what I do. As long as I continue to work to the best of my abilities, sooner or later, people will see my work for what it is and change their perceptions by themselves.
If your best isn’t enough, then that’s that. You don’t need to cater to anyone’s vision of what you should be. Love yourself just the way you are. Be clear and firm on who you are, and the people who see the value in that will come around. You don’t have to care about the people who don’t.
Music is a scholar’s trade. In order to fight against the social belief that music is a trade for beggars and vagrants, I’ve not only had to produce highly skilled musicians, but also good, productive members of society. I believe I’ve done a pretty good job of both.
Thailand’s single biggest flaw is Thai people. Thai people simply refuse to realize that the world around them has changed. Thai education is still in the same sorry, primitive state it’s always been in, only teaching students to endlessly memorize and parrot back information.
Smart people in Thailand tend to be corrupt, while good people tend to be stupid. Neither being smart but corrupt or good but stupid can help this country move forward.
Thai education has no place for people who break the rules. Which is a shame, since most of the time those students are the most creative ones. Our students are taught to listen and follow. Anyone who steps out of that thin line is immediately seen as a delinquent and their intelligence is viewed as a sign of disrespect.
Creativity is dying among the youth of Thailand. There’s little innovation, only people waiting for instructions.
I try to put a bigger emphasis on creativity here. Sure, it is still necessary for students to listen and follow, but I also try to steer my students away from that. After all, innovation can only be achieved by breaking the rules.
Students need to be taught to have a sense of self. There’s no need for everyone to be held to the same standard, discouraging diversity and individuality. No one should have to be like anyone else.
