The objective is to search for young musical talents from around the country to participate in a one-week string orchestra training camp and to practise the late King’s royal compositions.

This year, 21 musical talents were selected and offered an opportunity to perform three royal compositions – “Blue Day”, “Alexandra”, and “Love in Spring” –as well as Mozart’s “Requiem in D minor K.626”.

At the end of the musical training project, the 21 young musical talents performed as a chamber ensemble in a requiem to pay tribute to the late King via Facebook Live. The performance was recorded for future broadcast on TV channels and on social networks. On this occasion, the young musicians were also awarded certificates by Vudha Bhirombhakdi, chairman of Boon Rawd Brewery Co Ltd, at the main auditorium at Boon Rawd Brewery.

“This year, musical workshops and activities were held earlier in six provinces; Chiang Mai, Songkhla, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket, and Buri Ram, to search for young musical talents to join our fourth edition. Finally, a total of 21 participants were selected and awarded with a one-week musical training camp in Bangkok, facilitated by renowned national and international professors and musicians, in preparation for a requiem in remembrance of the late monarch,” said Nathawan Teepsuwan, corporate communications director of Boon Rawd Brewery.

“Over the past four years, we have seen some students returning to the camp and showing off their immense musical development. Each year, these students have learnt discipline and earned experience. Many young students have potential to become professional musicians in the future if they keep practising. In a very short period of time, they could perform much better than expected,” added Dr Tasana Nagavajara, director of the Pro Musica Junior Camp.

The camp director added that it had been a difficult year as Thais continue to mourn the loss of King Bhumibol. Furthermore, Admiral ML Usni Pramoj, former privy councillor, passed away this year. He was not only the camp’s honorary counsel but also the musician who rearranged the royal compositions for the string orchestra, which is seen as lesson for the young musicians at the camp to learn from.

“We are continuing the camp with our best efforts as a way of expressing our deep respect and remembering His Majesty as we come together to pass on His Majesty’s royal compositions to the young generation and to apply the wisdom messages and inspirational thoughts from his music to our daily life,” he said.

The camp has welcomed veteran musicians such as Kittikhun Sodprasert, renowned composer, and other professors from leading music institutes. This year has also seen special guest, Roland Baldini, renowned violinist from Vienna, as a special mentor. Baldini used to teach Tasana and also performed with Admiral ML Usni.

The key to success of classical music is to understand the Western culture, which is the root of the art. Baldini has offered to help the young students to understand the culture during the five-day training camp.

Members of the public are invited to watch and listen to this year’s 21 young musical talents from the 4th Pro Musica Junior Camp by Boon Rawd Brewery performing in a requiem in remembrance of the late King via https://www.facebook.com/ProMusicaJunior.

The newly written number is inspired by the melody of “Surintarahoo”, a traditional Thai song from the Ayutthaya Kingdom, and is played on traditional music instruments, with Krissadatharn “Poy” Chanthako on the two-stringed sor duang, Suwichan Phatthanaphraiwan playing the Karen instrument known as the tae na ku’, Chukiat Chathaisong on guitar and Naowarat on the khlui (flute). Patchalarwali “Jasmin” Damrongtamprasert covers the vocals.

“I held on the melody of this traditional Thai song composed by the late music master, Ongkarn Klibchuen, for a long time and only now did I feel ready to add lyrics talking about the loss and despair of Thais nationwide. I would like this song to encourage Thai people,” says the poet.

The music video was filmed at the elementary school with the students singing the chorus. It was produced by the Bangkok Street Poetry group featuring Prakamkrong Pongpaibul, Thanchon Chanruang, Cherdsak Prathumsrisakorn, Sarun Semathong and Apisamai Pawasithichoti.

Watch it at https://youtu.be/46jZnC7RmRQ.

“Carry Fire,” which came out on Friday, renews Plant’s fascination with American roots music but ventures further afield as the rocker breezily brings in North African lutes and the pulsating energy of electronica.

Plant, who was famously a reluctant lyricist at the birth of Led Zeppelin, returns with a poetic touch, rekindling the mythological imagery that came to mark his old band — and, obliquely, taking aim at US President Donald Trump.

At age 69, Plant retains his instantly recognizable voice, with a rich intensity at the higher ranges. But on “Carry Fire” he decides to turn on the vocal overdrive sparingly, his vocals representing not an older self but a softer, warmer side.

“Carry Fire,” Plant’s 11th solo album, will strike Led Zeppelin fans for its nods, intentional or not, to the band.

On the dreamy “Season’s Song,” Plant opens verses by singing, “Oh my love” — a faint echo of the more boisterous “All My Love” of Led Zeppelin’s heyday.

The album begins with “The May Queen,” an image of nature that appeared in Led Zeppelin’s most celebrated song, “Stairway to Heaven.” Yet the new song goes in a different direction with rich vocal harmonies and fiddle.

Plant wrote “Carry Fire” after returning to England following the disintegration of his relationship with folk singer Patty Griffin, with whom he lived in Austin, Texas.

The singer has said he was alarmed by how often he was recognized in Austin. But he retains the interest in American music that was initially heard in Led Zeppelin’s blues and more recently on “Raising Sand,” his 2007 album with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss that won the Grammy for Album of the Year.

– New sort of immigrant song –

If “Immigrant Song,” one of Led Zeppelin’s best-known songs, spoke of Norse invasions, Plant on “Carry Fire” appears interested in a much more recent immigrant experience.

“Carving Up the World Again… a wall and not a fence” quotes in the title the words of Trump, who in his campaign against undocumented immigrants from Mexico vowed to erect a full-fledged barrier on the border.

“Call up the cavalry and double up the guard / Preparing for catastrophe inside the house of cards,” Plant sings in the song’s chorus.

He evokes campaigns against Native Americans in the more rocking “New World” as he sings, “They’re barely human / It’s time to move them / To let them kneel before the sword.”

Plant embraces electronic backdrops on “Bluebirds Over the Mountain,” which features Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, and on “Keep It Hid,” also rife with natural imagery.

Plant, backed up on the album by his Sensational Space Shifters band, opens the title song with an oud, bringing a North African feel to a song still grounded in rock beats.

In an interview several years ago with the pop culture site Noisey, Plant described an experience in Morocco as life-altering as he searched to understand the uniqueness of their music.

“Time and age mean nothing,” he said, adding that without new creativity “you get on the same old ferry going backwards and forwards from your past, to the bank.”

Musical prodigy Ekachai “Bird” Jearakul has achieved a great deal in his short career. The young Ubon Ratchathani native picked up the top prize at the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition in 2014 and followed up with a 50-date tour of the US in 2016. Now he’s working hard to pursue his dearest dream – becoming a guitar soloist with one of the world’s leading orchestras.

“I know I can do it,” he tells XP. “I gained a lot of experience, valuable knowledge, and insights while I was on tour. I’d always dreamed of performing around the world but I must admit that having to manage everything from travelling to performing on my own wasn’t easy,” continues the 30-year-old classical guitarist, who is particularly fond of Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez”.

“I would like to take the next step up in my career by becoming a soloist with a big-name orchestra such as the LA Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra or perhaps the London or Berlin Philharmonics. Being a GFA champion does make you known in the guitar circle, but not as widely as a pianist or a violinist. I would like to be like Lang Lang, the popular Chinese concert pianist who has performed with leading orchestras in Europe and the United States,” he says.

“It is hard for a classical guitarist to perform with an orchestra, and I guess that I’m not the first to set this as my goal. You need not just talent but a good manager too. I contacted John Williams who composed for ‘Star Wars’ but he turned me down because he has too busy a schedule. But I really would like to perform in front of a bigger audience.”

As he continues his efforts to land on the world stage, Bird Ekachai is working on two projects that will pay tribute to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej with the support of his long-time sponsors Thai Beverage.

The first is a four-compact disc box set with a booklet that incorporates the complete collection of His Majesty the late King’s 48 compositions, and the second is a free concert, “Still on My Mind”, which is being staged tonight at the Aksara King Power Theatre.

The 48 songs have been rearranged by 10 wellknown classical guitarists, Ekachai among them, to match different styles of guitar playing and were recorded at a studio in Canada.

“All the royal songs should have a variety of ideas and interpretations. I selected nine classical guitarists for their characteristic works and experiences. They are played in classical, jazz and pop versions,” he reveals, adding that 10,000 copies of the box set will be released and priced at Bt999.

Tonight’s acoustic concert will see Ekachai performing solo and with a 20-member orchestra, a 60-guitar orchestra, the 20-strong Suanplu Chorus, and fellow artists including Thanida Thamwimon, aka Da Endorphine, Tachaya Prathumwan, aka Keng The Voice, prominent pianist Jakkawal “Neung” Saothongyuttitum, celebrated flautist and National Artist Thanis Sriklindee as well as a GFA guitar trio. The concert will feature 17 songs including “Tarm Roi Phra Raja” (“Follow in the King’s Footsteps”).

“I like Da Endorphine and think that her low-pitched and powerful voice goes well with the classical guitar on ‘Saeng Duean’ (‘Magic Beams’) and ‘Oh I Say’. The Suanplu Chorus will sing with me in ‘Saeng Thian’ (‘Candlelight Blues’), which is a choral version with guitar and violin. The GFA guitar trio will join me in performing four songs: ‘March Raja Wanlop’ (‘Royal Guards March’), ‘Klai Kangwon’ (‘When’), ‘Yam Yen’ (‘Love at Sundown’) and ‘Nature Waltz’. Keng Tachaya will sing ‘Kwamfan An Sungsud’ (‘Impossible Dream’) and pianist Pang and saxophonist Nil, two blind students of College of Music, Mahidol University, will perform ‘Smiles’,” he explains.

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

– Admission for tonight’s concert is free.

– Reserve a seat at Line: prwowow or find out more at Facebook pages: Ekachai Jearakul and Bird Ekachai Jearakul.

This Thailand concert is a part of the guitar virtuoso’s tour in Asia, which kicks off in China and takes him to Taipei and Tokyo.

The five-time Grammy nominee will be playing tracks off his new album, “Into the Sun”, which shines a bright light on his artful, contemporary songwriting and the stunning playing that’s made him a favourite foil of Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison and other legends.

Ford describes his 11-song set as “one of the top recordings I’ve ever done” – a staggering observation considering his extensive discography, which embraces more than 35 albums under his own name and with his various bands. There’s also Ford’s session and sideman work, which includes hundreds of concert appearances and albums by Bonnie Raitt, Barbara Streisand, Charlie Musselwhite, KISS, Ruthie Foster, Jimmy Witherspoon and Rickie Lee Jones.

The new album, which follows last year’s critically acclaimed “A Day In Nashville” and 2013’s “Bringing It Back Home”, explores the breadth of Ford’s sophisticated, visionary writing and playing, creating a new chapter in his brilliant musical history.

The album features such guests as Southern rock newcomer Tyler Bryant on “Stone Cold Heaven”, Allman Brothers guitarist and Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes on “High Heels And Throwing Things”, slide guitar guru Sonny Landreth on “So Long 4 U”, Americana and blues icon Keb’ Mo’ and pedal steel wizard Robert Randolph on “Justified,” and vocal sensation ZZ Ward on “Breath Of Me”.

Tickets cost from Bt1,700 to Bt2,600 at Thai Ticket Major counters and online at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

For more information, call Prart Music Group at (02) 203 04235 or visit http://www.prartmusic.com and Facebook.com/pmgthai.

Petty’s 1993 “Greatest Hits” compilation was in second place on the Billboard chart for the week through Thursday, with sales jumping 2,231 percent from a week earlier, tracking service Nielsen Music said.

But he still came below Canadian country star Shania Twain whose first album in 15 years, “Now,” debuted at number one.

Twain, who was the one of the most successful artists of the 1990s, wrote an album with themes of personal restoration after a rough spell that included a high-profile divorce and struggles with her voice.

She far outpaced one of the other prominent releases of the week — “Younger Now” by Miley Cyrus, a return to country roots by the singer who has become better known for her provocative stage persona.

Petty — an often dark, Southern-influenced rocker whose hits included “I Won’t Back Down,” “American Girl” and “Free Fallin'” — died of a cardiac arrest on October 2, a week after he completed a tour for the 40th anniversary of his band The Heartbreakers.

Swift nabbed six nods including Best Video for her record-breaking “Look What You Made Me Do” which debuted at the MTV VMAs in August, while global sensation Shawn Mendes is immediately behind with five nominations, including Best Song and Best Artist – the latter category featuring the two nominees going head-to-head.

Best Artist nominees Kendrick Lamar and Ed Sheeran earned four nods each, including Best Local Act nods for their respective home regions (Best US Act and Best UK & Ireland Act, specifically). Sheeran’s smash single “Shape of You” was also nominated for Best Song, along with DJ Khaled’s chart topper “Wild Thoughts,” Shawn Mendes’ pop hit “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s summer anthem “Despacito” remix featuring Justin Bieber, and Clean Bandit’s mega pop hit “Rockabye.”

The 2017 MTV EMAs will broadcast around the globe from The SSE Arena, Wembley in London on November 12 and will air live on MTV Asia on November 13. The repeat telecast goes out on the same day.

Last week, MTV announced global superstar and Best Look nominee Rita Ora will host and perform at this year’s show in London.

MTV gave music lovers in Southeast Asia the power to vote for the seventh “wild card” nominee, and Thailand’s Palitchoke “Peck” Ayanaputra has been chosen by fans via social vote.

Elsewhere, Bruno Mars (US), Little Mix (UK & Ireland), Drake (Canada), Justin Bieber (Canada) and Kygo (Norway) are among those nominated for Best Act in their respective home regions. Wildcard nominee Fifth Harmony has been chosen by fans via social vote for Best US Act, and similarly, Louis Tomlinson has been chosen as the wildcard nominee in the Best UK & Ireland Act.

2017 MTV EMAs voting is now open until November 11 at 11.59pm Visit www.mtvema.com to cast your vote.

The full list of nominees:

BEST SONG

Clean Bandit – Rockabye ft. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie

DJ Khaled – Wild Thoughts ft. Rihanna, Bryson Tiller

Ed Sheeran – Shape of You

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee – Despacito (Remix) ft. Justin Bieber

Shawn Mendes – There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back

BEST ARTIST

Ariana Grande

Ed Sheeran

Kendrick Lamar

Miley Cyrus

Shawn Mendes

Taylor Swift

BEST LOOK

Dua Lipa

Harry Styles

Rita Ora

Taylor Swift

ZAYN

BEST NEW

Dua Lipa

Julia Michaels

Khalid

KYLE

Rag‘n’Bone Man

BEST POP

Camila Cabello

Demi Lovato

Miley Cyrus

Shawn Mendes

Taylor Swift

BEST VIDEO

Foo Fighters – Run

Katy Perry – Bon Appetit ft. Migos

Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE.

KYLE – iSpy ft. Lil Yachty

Taylor Swift – Look What You Made Me Do

BEST LIVE

Bruno Mars

Coldplay

Ed Sheeran

Eminem

U2

BEST ELECTRONIC

Calvin Harris

David Guetta

Major Lazer

Martin Garrix

The Chainsmokers

BEST ROCK

Coldplay

Foo Fighters

Royal Blood

The Killers

U2

BEST HIP HOP

Drake

Eminem

Future

Kendrick Lamar

Post Malone

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Imagine Dragons

Lana Del Rey

Lorde

The xx

Thirty Seconds To Mars

BIGGEST FANS

Ariana Grande

Justin Bieber

Katy Perry

Shawn Mendes

Taylor Swift

BEST PUSH

Hailee Steinfeld

Jon Bellion

Julia Michaels

Kacy Hill

Khalid

KYLE

Noah Cyrus

Petite Meller

Rag’n’Bone Man

SZA

The Head and The Heart

BEST WORLD STAGE

Steve Aoki – Live from Isle of MTV Malta 2016

Kings of Leon – Live from Oude Luxor Theatre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2016

Tomorrowland 2017

DNCE – Live from Isle of MTV Malta 2017

The Chainsmokers – Live from Isle of MTV Malta 2017

Foo Fighters – Live from Barcelona, Spain 2017

BEST MAINLAND CHINA / HONG KONG / TAIWAN ACT

Wang Sulong

Pakho Chau

Huo Zun

He Jie

Bii

BEST JAPAN ACT

BABYMETAL

KOHH

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

Rekishi

Wednesday Campanella

BEST KOREA ACT

Highlight

Mamamoo

Wanna One

Seventeen

Gfriend

BEST SOUTHEAST ASIA ACT

Isyana Sarasvati (Indonesia)

Faizal Tahir (Malaysia)

James Reid (Philippines)

The Sam Willows (Singapore)

Slot Machine (Thailand)

Dam Vinh Hung (Vietnam)

Tariello is a celebrated Italian trumpet player who has cooperated with such well-known artists as Gilberto Gil, Roberto Gatto and Peter Cincotti. In 2016, he embarked on a personal project dedicated to the music of Italian singer, pianist and composer, Paolo Conte, which he has performed to critical acclaim at the Tolfa Jazz Festival, Atina Jazz, and in the Sala Petrassi at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome.

“Under the Stars of Jazz” is the trumpeter’s evocative interpretation of Conte’s work. From the jazz greats of the past and with his own original arrangements, Tarielllo and his quintet take listeners on an engaging journey from the 20s, an innovative age which gave birth to the fathers of jazz who inspired Conte, through to the experimental 60s. Tariello pays homage not only to Conte but also Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.

For more information or to book a table call (02) 649 8353 or emaildining.sgs@luxurycollection.com

For perhaps the first time in my life, I left Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani last Saturday night disappointed and disgusted at the behaviour of veteran artist Nakarin “Pang” Kingsak, who chose to mark his 50th birthday celebration by drinking on stage and swearing at those who had made the effort to come and applaud him.

The media and his fans had much the same reaction, commenting extensively on the social media with none of the posts the least bit complimentary.

“Pang has often said ‘It isn’t a concert but a party’, but that doesn’t make it right to drink all during the show and in front of fans who had come with their children. Shouting rude words, especially ‘ai hia’, was equally inexcusable. And because he was drunk, Pang sang like he was murmuring, making him hard to understand and out of tune. He also forgot his script,” wrote one irate newspaper reporter.

An underground metal musician agreed. “If nothing else, Pang has made it clear you should never drink alcohol before taking the stage or when you are on it. He was very drunk and couldn’t follow the script. He totally messed up his performance,” he posted. “But he remains an idol of mine for his songwriting.”

“Pang kept pausing in his songs. It reminded me of his 2013 concert in celebration of his 21 years in music but this time it was much worse,” said a fan.

Signs that not all was well appeared even before the show though it took a full hour and a half before one of the production crew was sent out to apologise for the late start, putting it down to a technical problem with the amplifiers.

After such a long wait, the audience was happy when the curtain opened to reveal the 50-year-old artist on a stage decorated with a long sofa and a table with what was obviously a glass of alcohol and a water bottle. He opened with three songs, “Tham Arai Sak Yang”, “Pratoo” and “Arkas” and quickly had his fans up and dancing.

After the first set, Pang complained about the amplifier problem and apologised to the audience for the delay. “It’s one of the reasons why I don’t like doing large-scale concerts,” he said before segueing into a set of ballads that included “Jai Jao Aoei”, “Khob Mai Dai”, and “Khabuan Sudthai” as well as “Klin” performed by guest Golf T-Bone.

Pang wrote this song for the ska-reggae band and the audience was happy to sing along.

Though many noticed the singer wasn’t as sober as he should be, they nonetheless screamed as the first notes of mega-hit “Phoom Phae Krungthep” rang out along with the vocal sampling of luk thung singer Takatan Cholada. “Khon Mee Saneh”, the soundtrack of TV series “Dek Jom Yong 2”, and “Thuk Khon Khoei Rong Hai”, performed live for the first time, followed without incident and Pang also performed “Phae” and “Mai Chai Nang Fah” before bringing long-time friend and Hydra bandmate, Thana “Pond” Lawasut out to perform two Hydra songs “Duek Laew” and “Klai Thao Derm”.

The first act ended with “Kwam Pen Mae” and “Kaewta Kha Rock” and the introduction of a team of comics set to entertain during the intermission.

But before long Pang was back out on stage dressed in mafia-style black and joining the professional comedians in their act. By now obviously drunk, he staggered around the stage and swore profusely. And in a move that went totally against Thai custom, he allowed the younger comedians to hit him on his head.

With the clock ticking towards midnight, he returned to stage with tuneless renditions of “Khid Arai Yoo”, “Khao Rue Phom” and “30 Yang Jaew” then followed up with “Sabai Dee”, “Phuchai Rong Hai”, “Man”, “Hua Larn Jai Noi” and “Ther Mee Jing.”

The comedy of errors continued well after the show with an official of his music label telling me that the photo files of Pang’s concert had been damaged “by accident”, thus forcing me to use these rough shots from my cellphone.

The talented male trio and female jazz guitarist will perform a selection of royally composed songs by the late monarch to honour his talent in music. The afternoon tea will be served from 2 to 6pm and the jazz performance will begin at 3 and will continue until 5pm (including an intermission).

The price is Bt1,400-plus for two people. Polite attire and non-flamboyant colours are recommended. Limited seats are available and advance reservations are required. For booking, call (02) 020 2888 or email diningpbk@peninsula.com.