I dreamed of being an astronaut, as I loved science when I was young. I even created homemade rockets when I was in elementary school.

I hated playing piano at first. My dad, an engineer, tried to persuade me to try it because he loved classical music and played a little piano himself. But all I wanted to do was study science.

I got fed up with pop songs all about love and being heartbroken. They’re so boring. That’s why I got into Carabao, whose songs deal with serious issues like drugs and troubles in life.

I realized I wanted to play piano after seeing my aunt teach one of her students to play at her house. I was 13.

My piano skills advanced really fast. I could play Beethoven after just two weeks. Then I started composing my own songs after six months and passed the highest piano exam after two years.

Eventually I met Somtow [Sucharitkul, leading composer and novelist] who showed me the world of classical music. I asked him for his autograph then told him that I wanted to be a conductor and composer. He later took me to study with him after he saw the songs that I had composed.

Working for real is the only way to get true experience. I quit Mahidol’s College of Music to work with Somtow. People might think this was a difficult decision. But my dad, who is quite a progressive thinker, and I agreed that this would really help me become the real deal.

You have to know how to win people’s hearts for them to listen to you. I was only 18 when I went to work as a conductor and resident coach at the Opera Studio Nederland [in Amsterdam]. While most of my colleagues were older than me, I finally proved that I could do the job.

No matter how good a conductor you are, you won’t get the right sound from the musicians if they don’t have faith in you.

Old and young are equally likely to be wrong. As a society, we should question and discuss things more openly. It’s counter-productive if we stick to the rule that seniors are always right.

Being a conductor is a high-pressure job. Things can go wrong at any time, which can ruin the whole show.

I’m nervous every time I meet a new orchestra. I feel like these 60-70 people could eat you alive. So it’s up to me to express my vision and explain the hidden emotion of the music for them.

Conducting is the same as creating music. Like a pianist uses a piano, a conductor controls the whole orchestra.

It’s difficult to reach new audiences with classical music. It’s not considered mainstream here, or anywhere, really. Most people into classical music are quite old.

Classical was the music of the masses in the old days. Guys like Mozart would play in the square in the middle of the city.

I’m at my happiest living in Thailand. This is the first year that I plan to take a break from working abroad. I’ve worked non-stop for 3-4 years, so I haven’t had time to enjoy things like our delicious food. That’s not to say I won’t be busy—I’ve got lots of projects, including working as music director for Reya the Musical.

Television dramas reflect real life. Adultery has been documented since the ancient Greeks, and if it didn’t happen in real life then lakorns [Thai soap operas] like Dok Som See Thong wouldn’t be so popular. Drama is all about showing the bad side of humanity.

Monogamous relationships are against human nature. If we weren’t told that it’s a good thing, it’s probable that we wouldn’t be monogamous. However, I hope to spend the rest of my life with the one person that I truly love.

I dream of being a conductor for the world’s top three orchestras: the Berlin Philharmonic from Germany, the Vienna Philharmonic from Austria and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from the Netherlands. It might take me decades, but it’s something to aim for.

I am driven every day by a need to prove myself. I remember one time a friend of mine saw me trying to compose and he said that I worked haphazardly. I think he might understand what I was trying to do now.

Being naturally gifted only gives you a head start. The best way to succeed is to set yourself goals and work hard to achieve them. I may have quit school but I’ve never stopped learning.

Set yourself goals and believe in yourself. If you keep practicing, then one day you will get to where you want to.