Sounds of Asia

MUSIC: AFO to make Bangkok appearance

Office of the National Culture Commission, the Japan Foundation and Traffic Corner Holding Plc will jointly organise the Asian Fantasy Orchestra Concert on June 14 and June 15 in the Main Hall of the Thailand Cultural Centre. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will graciously preside over the concert.

The Asian Fantasy Orchestra (AFO) is one spin-off of the successful music festival entitled "Asian Fantasy''. The music festival has been held continuously since 1991 in Tokyo with the goal of achieving "meeting and exchange through music'' and "mutual understanding'' between Asian musicians.

The AFO was then formed in 1995 with outstanding musicians from Japan, China, Korea, India and the Philippines, and from a variety of music genres such as traditional music, folk music, classical music, pops, jazz and more.

The AFO consists of enthusiastic musicians who are pursuing new styles of music while learning each other's music and spirit through original pieces composed especially for this orchestra. After holding successful concert tours in Asia in 1995 and 1998, the AFO finally comes to Thailand to delight Thai audiences with enriching tunes as powerful as rock, cheerful as pop, exciting as jazz and sincere as traditional and folk music. A host of renowned musicians from Asian countries will perform various instruments at the concert.

Semba Kiyohiko inspires the orchestra with his emotional rhythms on percussion, while Kume Daisaku designs a deep groove on keyboard. Kaneko Aska explores melody on violin, and Umezu Kazutoki hops around on saxophone.

Aneesh Pradhan from India seasons the orchestra with his sharp beat on tabla. Jia Peng-Fang and Jiang Xiao-Qing from China draw smooth lines on erhu and guzheng. The powerful vocals of Grace Nono from the Philippines and Rikki from Okikawa in Japan lead the orchestra in a non-stop performance.

Guest musicians from Thailand are Thanis Sriklindee (Thai flute) and his Thanis band who will inspire the AFO with traditional Thai melodies. The band will see Surapong Rohitajon and Nirun Jam-Aroon on Thai xylophone ranad-ek and ranad-thum; Nopphadon Suppradit and Anucha Broripum on Thai drums; Kittisak Khaosathit on ching (Thai cymbals); and Chaiyod Taioun on gong-wong (Thai gongs). Pop singer Thanaporn ``Parn'' Wagprayoon will cheer audiences with her own popular songs arranged by the AFO exclusively for this concert.

There will be two AFO concerts in Bangkok _ on Saturday, June 14 at 7pm and on Sunday, June 15 at 3:30pm. Tickets cost 300, 500, 800, 1,000 and 1,200 baht and are available at Counterservice (tel 02-654-6570/5) or through online booking at www.counterservice.co.th.

From Thailand, the AFO will continue its 2003 Asian tour, heading to Yangon in Burma, Vientiane in Lao PDR, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. For more information, please contact the Japan Foundation at 02-260-8560/4 or visit www.jfbkk.or.th. _ RT(BANGKOK POST, Friday, May 30, 2003)