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Pomp and Circumstance
Now in its fourth year in Bangkok, the British Chamber’s Last Night
of the Proms once again proves a storming success
British Ambassador Quinton
Quayle (centre) attended,
as did many luminaries from the BCCT.
Jim Preen
When the audience started arriving at Shrewsbury School’s Memorial Hall for
this year’s Last Night of the Proms they were met by a sea of flags strung
from the rafters. The orchestra, showing some signs of nervousness, were
already on stage and there was a palpable sense of anticipation.
 Soprano
Hannah Phillips took to the stage and led the choir and the crowd as they
roared through Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem.
Giant Thai and British flags hung side-by-side and a 50-piece choir sat
either side of the orchestra. Silence fell as conductor John Moore bustled
on stage and raised his baton.
In the UK, Last Night of the Proms is a cultural institution. Thanks to the
British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT), Shrewsbury and Mazars Double
Impact, it is now equally at home in Thailand and has become one of the
highlights of the Bangkok social calendar.
The orchestra tore in to the Karelia Suite by Sibelius with such vigour it
was hard to believe it was a school’s orchestra entertaining the crowd. As
the evening progressed, there were moments of real musical depth in what was
clearly a challenging programme of works by Strauss, Bizet, Borodin and, of
course, Elgar.
Four pieces in and Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances brought the evening alive.
The Dances are notoriously complex and have a wild quality about them. The
players really seemed to dig in and the audience erupted with applause as
the final notes rang out.
 As
conductor John Moore raised his baton, the orchestra tore in to the Karelia
Suite by Sibelius with such vigour it was hard to believe it was a school’s
orchestra entertaining the crowd.
The choir consistently added to the sound and spectacle particularly during
a selection of British folk songs. Tenor Stewart McClenaghan gave a
beautiful, rapt performance of Loch Lomond. Another choral crowd pleaser was
Ireland’s Londonderry Air or Danny Boy.
A Suite from Bizet’s Carmen and the ever popular Dam Buster’s March ramped
up the excitement leading to Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance and the finale.
The knees-up had arrived and with it the chance for the audience to clap,
shout, wave flags and sing-a-long.
Soprano Hannah Phillips took to the stage and led the choir and the crowd as
they roared through Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem.
By the end, some of the younger members of the audience were screaming as if
they were at a pop concert, others were content to wave their flags and
applaud.
The orchestra of talented youngsters (plus a few older members) came largely
from Shrewsbury School, but were augmented by players from Bangkok Patana,
Harrow and the Regent’s School.
The British Ambassador Quinton Quayle attended, as did many luminaries from
the BCCT. Honourable mention should go to other key sponsors including
British Airways, Chatrium, Rolls-Royce, Harrow International School, BNH
Hospital and Market-Edge Asia.
Last night of the proms - it’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s British and it’s in
Bangkok. Don’t miss it next year - it’s a masterpiece.
I.S.E. walk-a-thon raises 127,000 baht for charity
Participants enjoy a healthy supply of food
and drinks.
The students love the water activities.
Student Saran Meath managed to raise
the most money for the event, 8,700 baht.
Phasakorn Channgam
Students from the International School of the Eastern Seaboard raised
127,000 baht to help two charity organizations during an Oct. 28
walk-a-thon.
The Fountain of Life Center in Sriracha and the HIV care facility at the
Camillian Social Center in Rayong were the beneficiaries of the event
participated in by 168 I.S.E. students.
The school’s walk-a-thon has been held annually for 14 years. Eighteen
children from the Fountain of Life Center participated this year.
Students marched around the Burapha Golf Course for more than 5
kilometers. Water activities and games where also staged.
Children from Fountain of Life Center
participate in the Walk-a-thon.
Children from the Fountain of Life Center
gather for a picture.
Pattaya Players performance
a “hauntingly good time” at Horseshoe Point
The Pattaya Players
invited 38 children from the Child Protection Camp so that despite their
circumstances, they too could come and enjoy the fun.
Paul Strachan
As Fun City hosted a number of scary events in bars, clubs and
hotels for Halloween, just outside of town there was some very spooky
goings on by the Pattaya Players.
Horseshoe Point’s Three Kingdoms Park was awash with ghouls, ghosts and
goblins as over 400 people turned up, many in fancy dress and make-up to
take part in All Hallows Eve.
 Dressing
up as witches for the hauntingly good time at Horseshoe Point.
Pattaya Players also enlisted many students from the international
schools to act as ghosts and phantoms for the numerous ghost tours
designed to give kids - young and old - a hauntingly good time.
There were also a number of games such as ‘Bat the Rat’, a “Human
Bandit’, a fortune teller, face painting and huge spheres in a lagoon
that the children could climb inside for a roll around the pool, as well
as pony rides for the more laid back guests.
This was the second time this event was hosted by the Pattaya Players
and this year saw even a greater number of families coming out for a
great night out.
The Pattaya Players also invited 38 children from the Child Protection
Camp, so that despite their circumstances, they too could come and enjoy
the fun.
 Miss
Devil and Miss Fairy perform with the Pattaya Players.
Now the Players are focusing on their next productions which will be “An
Evening of Christmas One Acts” on November 27-28. This fantastic evening
of yuletide-themed theater will consist of the three one-act plays:
“Rollin’ In Dough In Mistletoe” by Marietta Slater, “An Implausible
Claus” by Nikki Harmon and “World Without Men” by Philip Johnson.
Pattaya Players veterans Duane Hauch and Ray Lightbown direct this
three-for-one night of Christmas frivolity.
There will be two evening performances starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday,
November 27 and Saturday, November 28. Tickets are priced at 700 baht
for adults and 600 baht for children (under the age of 12), which
includes an “all you can eat buffet” dinner and the three one-act shows.
All seating is general admission and takes place in an outdoor
amphitheater. In case of severe weather, Sunday, November 29 will be
used as a rain date.
Tickets may be purchased by contacting any board member directly or by
emailing pattayaplayers@ gmail.com
Kate’s Project still giving
Ingrid doles out sweets to
the excited youngsters.
Mmm, sweets. Aloy maak
maak!
The smiles say it all!
Ingrid Cunliffe
The clothing drive I started with the help of my Facebook friends and St
Andrews School is still in full swing!
We recently went out to one of the poorer slum areas and distributed
clothes and toys to the wide eyed kids and parents. These families are
part of the 100 that Kate’s Project assists.
We were lucky to have Roisin, who is the founder of Kate’s project with
us on a visit from Ireland to help give the goods out, together with Noi
and Anan from the project.
Many of these families have 4 or more children to take care of and try
to sell the birds on the beach for a meager income. Thanks to Mariolain
who purchased shoes for many of the kids also, a small price for such a
luxury for these kids!
A big thank you again from me to all the parents at school and my
Facebook friends ... keep it comin!
Yo-yos, so how does this
work?
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