Classical music conservatory to be built in Princess' honour on Chao Phraya river bank

HRH PRINCESS GALYANI VADHANA / CULTURAL LEGACY

Classical music conservatory to be built in Princess' honour on Chao Phraya river bank

ANCHALEE KONGRUT

A conservatory of classical music will be built in honour of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana and will be named after her, Culture Minister Khunying Khaisri Sri-aroon said yesterday.

The ministry received approval from the cabinet on Dec 25 to begin work on the project as a tribute to the Princess, who was known for her passion for western classical music.

The designated site for the conservatory is land overlooking the Chao Phraya river near the Rama VIII bridge. Owned by the Industry Ministry, the 14-rai plot once served as the Bang Yi Khan whiskey distillery.

It is hoped that the project will realise an aspiration of the late Princess to create home-grown classical musicians.

She had given the ministry her consent to name the conservatory the ''Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music,'' Khunying Khaisri said yesterday.

Known as a classical music connoisseur, the late Princess set up the Fund for Classical Music Promotion, which gave scholarships and financial grants to scores of gifted musicians.

''The Princess once said Thailand lacked a conservatory of classical music to groom musicians from a young age,'' she said.

''Music programmes are offered only at university level.

''Gifted children have to go overseas to study or stop pursuing their careers in classical music in between.''

''Thai musicians will no longer have to travel abroad after this institute opens.''

The music conservatory would offer classical music lessons for every level, from beginners up.

Khunying Khaisri said the late Princess approved the ministry's request to create the conservatory in June 2006, one year before she was admitted to hospital with abdominal cancer.

Two months ago, she gave permission for the ministry to name the institute after her, Khunying Khaisri said.

The government will finance the cost of the project, which has been set at 810.5 million baht.

On Dec 25, cabinet approved the first 22.5 million baht of the budget for the design and construction.

The institute is expected to be open by 2010.

Initially, the institute will come under the umbrella of Silpakorn University's faculty of music but will later become a public organisation, said Samart Chansoon, director of the Research and Information Institute at the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture.

He said the conservatory will use three out of the four existing buildings on the site.

The conservatory and an auditorium will be built on the area where the bottling facility and office building were located.

The ministry also plans to use a colonial style building on the plot as a museum where an exhibition on the Princess' life and work as well as her charity projects will be on show.

The vintage building is listed as a historical site by the Fine Arts Department.