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On A Water Break Around the World: Thailand
92 Plays11 days ago
Join us for a special On A Water Break bonus feature as we take a trip around the world, starting in Thailand! In this two-part episode, host Grantis Peranda sits down with Kosin Suebprasitwong, the president of the Marching Band Association of Thailand, to explore the growth and development of marching arts in Thailand and beyond.
In Part 1, Kosin shares his journey from being a marching band student to becoming a leading figure in Thailand's marching arts scene. He discusses his role in creating the Thailand World Music Championships (TWMC) and the challenges he’s overcome to make the marching arts accessible to schools of all sizes and budgets. Learn about the unique competitions in Thailand, from street parades to marching battles and modern concert bands.
In Part 2, Kosin dives into the creation of the Thai Marching Band Association and his efforts to build a global network for marching arts through the Asian Marching Band Confederation (AMBC) and the World Marching Band Organization (WMBO). He talks about the importance of education and government support, as well as his dream of expanding marching arts to every country in the world. Kosin’s passion for growing the activity internationally, including bringing marching bands to countries like Bhutan, is truly inspiring.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the global impact of marching arts and how you can get involved!
For more information on Kosin's work and the organizations he leads, visit:
- Kosin’s Website
- Marching Band Association of Thailand
- Thailand World Music Championships
- Contact Kosin: gosin.supersitvong.com
For more about Grantis Peranda, the host of On A Water Break, check out:
- Grantis’ Website
- Follow Grantis on Instagram: @grantisimo_p
Follow On A Water Break on social media:
- Instagram: @onawaterbreak
- Facebook: @onawaterbreak
Subscribe, share, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts to support the show. We’ll see you at the next rehearsal!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast and Theme
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everyone and welcome to On A Water Break, the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break. This week we go on a water break around the world with our first stop, Thailand.
00:00:15
Speaker
Hi, I'm Grantis. I spent a year and a half traveling the world, experiencing different cultures, and discovering how marching arts take shape in each of them. Now, I'm bringing those stories to you.
00:00:28
Speaker
Join me as I talk to people from across the globe to learn how they celebrate and evolve our activity in their own unique way. This is On A Water Break Around The World.
00:00:40
Speaker
All righty.
Meet the Host and Guest Introduction
00:00:41
Speaker
everyone, my name is Grantis Paranda and we're having our first on a water break around the world today, since it's our first rep at this. So I apologize ahead of time if it's not clean from the get go, but I hope you understand and just go with the process.
00:00:56
Speaker
Now onto the show. I am super excited to welcome Kosin Sitwong to our podcast.
00:01:06
Speaker
Hello, hello everyone. and My name is Kosen, I'm from Thailand. I'm really glad to be here for today. Hope we can enjoy what we can talk today.
00:01:17
Speaker
Yes, thank you so much. And Kosen, if you don't know, he is like the head honcho of marching arts in Thailand. But let's hear more about Kosen from himself. All right, Kosen, we have this segment called 32 Count Life Story.
00:01:30
Speaker
You will have 32 Counts to tell us everything about you and your life. and only 32 counts. So you will get
Early Experiences in Marching Arts
00:01:38
Speaker
eight counts off the Mets, and then we'll start. Are you ready?
00:01:42
Speaker
Yes. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. So I am also the, long time ago, i also the marching band student. I have paired with the marching band at a school, and then I have a very dream come true for the one day I want to join the DCI. That's the, long time ago it in Thailand, it's not,
00:02:03
Speaker
not much knowledge about the marching band and education. It's really hard to find some information. I try to fight learn more everything. So right now, in Thailand, am the president of the marching band association of Thailand.
00:02:17
Speaker
and what What we do in Thailand also, we create about the competition. That's what we call the Thailand World Music Championships. It's the most international, the biggest in Thailand right now.
00:02:29
Speaker
And every year,
Kosen's Role and Achievements in Thailand's Marching Arts
00:02:31
Speaker
I have a lot of countries coming to travel to Thailand to join our competition. And also, beside the Thailand World Music Championship, we call it the TWMC. Beside the TWMC, we also have the band competition of Thailand. It's for the national championships.
00:02:48
Speaker
We try to do the every part of Thailand, like ah y cheng ma poe and in and anywhere, it's not just the capital city or somewhere, because the in Thailand, more many schools have problem about the budget.
00:03:04
Speaker
Sometimes the school cannot offer them to go to... We'll get to that stuff later. We just wanted to do the first little bit right now. Okay, okay. Okay, so um let me just go from there. Okay.
00:03:19
Speaker
So thank you so much, Kosen. And you mentioned that you started marching bands when you were younger. When did you start that? When did you start? Where did you play?
00:03:30
Speaker
How did you get into music? Okay. First time I joined
Drum Corps Experience and Its Influence
00:03:34
Speaker
the marching band when was six years old, you know, ah with the small instrument because I saw the the band. But it's not marching band. It's just the local instrument and they try to mix and for the marching band.
00:03:46
Speaker
I really interested to play some more, but that time still very young and cannot play much. So I start to learn until the beat high school. I played percussion in the marching band in high school.
00:03:58
Speaker
And then on that time I have watched the first time the video for the video from the DCI is Boudéville. That's i really wow, really amazing. And then that time Boudéville makes a lot of my inspiration to how Can it be there in one day? And then, so so I have chance to go to the Blue Nights time for the audition. And I was a member of the Blue Nights 2003 on that time.
00:04:29
Speaker
Wow, that's fantastic. So you were in music at a young age. You did it in school and you played percussion as well. And then your band teacher or somebody showed you a video of the Blue Devils and that inspired you to march DCI.
00:04:45
Speaker
Yes. Fantastic. And what did you play in the Blue Knights? I played pitch percussion. Pitch percussion? Yeah. and And what was the show that year?
00:04:55
Speaker
Primary color. If and not a mistake, primary color. Primary color. Okay. Fantastic. And
Building the Marching Arts in Thailand
00:05:01
Speaker
did you did you really enjoy your drum corps experience? Did you really like it? must I can say the drum corps changed my life because I knew many things I didn't know before.
00:05:12
Speaker
Like Many education, and many things I need to learn and how the DumpCore tour, I can meet lot of people and I can learn a lot of things. I can say DumpCore, I share my life. Eventually, the Boonice and BukerCore, they teach me a lot of things.
00:05:28
Speaker
Yeah, same here, because I marched Blue Nights too for one of my DCI seasons. Can you remember anything really fun that happened on tour or something that you really loved about it? I'm sure it was a completely new experience view for you you know coming to the US and marching, but would you like to share anything?
00:05:47
Speaker
Yeah, so ah what what the what the I never know and I really care about everything is about the during the the the summer tour. I can see the win after, before or after the competition.
00:06:02
Speaker
Every band come to join together and share something and the pair something together. I think it's really mostly made friendly and we can know each other very well because sometimes in the long time ago, if we competition, we don't talk to another band because like an enemy.
00:06:21
Speaker
Yeah, but everything changed my mind because, oh no, not, not. It's like that. We can make friends for everyone. We can share everything. competition in competition. Besides beside the competition, we can have the friendly and we can ah make more friends and share everything for the music education. That's what was my memory. And I learned an all of things during the tour and I can see many call, oh,
00:06:48
Speaker
Long time ago, I told you I see everything via the video. But the real sound is very amazing. real style really really amazing i i think i cannot explain and say, if you not be there, you will you you know a lot of things.
00:07:07
Speaker
yeah That's very true. yeah Everything is better in person. Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah who i'm for And you're right. Like the friends you make during drum corps, not only in your own, you know, your own ensemble, but other groups as well is really cool and fascinating.
00:07:24
Speaker
So after drum corps, you came back to Thailand and I guess DCI kind of inspired you to have maybe more marching arts available in Thailand. Can you talk a little bit more about that?
00:07:38
Speaker
Yes. Yes. Actually, in Thailand, we have a lot of bands in the school. We we we really lack of the community. We have one or two, but it's not active right now. most what Almost 100% is from the school or university.
00:07:54
Speaker
And a long time ago, we also had the comp competition in the our national championship. But what I learned from the DCI, I tried to bring there some system and some ah detail, try to development in what is the can be the best for Thailand and suitable for the ah my country.
00:08:11
Speaker
So I tried to create some categories that are suitable for Thailand competition. Because as you know, Thailand mostly is from the school.
00:08:23
Speaker
And there some schools are a lot of members. Some schools are very small members. So we cannot make there like a few shows. It's a big number. Some schools maybe have only 20 people feel So i like I try to create some categories that are suitable for them, like a dumb ride battle, bus ride battle, wood swing battle, a calica battle.
00:08:46
Speaker
Maybe they have just 10 people that can join the competition. They have 100 people that can join the competition. I try to make many chances and opportunities for them to join the competition.
00:08:58
Speaker
And besides the competition, I also try to develop an education, because the education for the music is very i important. I try to bring some knowledge from the island from the design and I have many friends that also went to design also try to help development the recommend ah machine band so society in Thailand for some teachers and give knowledge for the band that can development for today.
00:09:22
Speaker
I can say right now in Thailand it's very um from 10 years or 20 years ago twenty year course have a lot of development. We we can create then the style. we know We know more, some detail. That's the make the good show for everyone.
00:09:38
Speaker
That sounds fantastic, especially since it sounds like um the marching arts have grown a lot in Thailand. Can talk a little bit more about the development of that? like you You told me a little bit, but...
00:09:51
Speaker
you know, music was really in Thai schools, and then now you're bringing out different things for different numbers of groups. So what was it like in the past, and what did you specifically do to grow the marching arts in your country?
00:10:07
Speaker
Because you've done a lot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. First, about the the talking about the education. Long time ago, we don't have the resource for the knowledge, and Sometimes when the duty side, we use by hand and make them walk to this, walk to that.
00:10:27
Speaker
And then we don't have the program. So ah went but but one day, we have the people from this side introduce the 3D and the program. I think it can help us development a lot for how to make the duty side.
00:10:43
Speaker
and also the like ah I play percussion. I can't say more about the percussion. Long time ago, we don't know about the rebound, extend tap. We don't know. We don't know about that. We just say that simple say follow the score, like a 60 note.
00:11:02
Speaker
But we don't know detail what what we play. We just simply follow the note. But after i I read a lot of the form of DCI, I can take something to tell them how to control the stick and how to play the rebound, how to make the good sound. From that year until now, also have the our our friends also can help teach the development of the band in Thailand. or iraq And right now, that you mentioned about the group also.
00:11:33
Speaker
ah
International Collaboration and Unique Competitions
00:11:34
Speaker
Some school even have 10 people there so can join the commission. And I can have a lot of but opportunity for every student because sometimes I have the commission in the not not just the one place.
00:11:47
Speaker
I think the same like ah decide to that I try to make it in Thailand. So I try to make in Chiang Mai. I think you know, right? Chiang Mai, Phuket, anything. Yeah. So the people around the north of Thailand, Chiang Mai, even Chiang Mai.
00:12:03
Speaker
It is easy to join the competition because the cost of the travel is not too expensive. Right now, we have a lot of competition Thailand.
00:12:14
Speaker
can can help file some budget to choice so right now i think the we have a lot of the competition competition in thailand also so many bandned going up and also have the new band coming.
00:12:25
Speaker
i never heard some bad I never heard before the name they tried to start because the competition is already near them and then they they have more chance to join the competition.
00:12:36
Speaker
I can say the competition is make them development because they will have something to do and have the inspiration and have target to do it's not competition maybe they just practice but no point to do something like that that's true yeah and it's the people that are listening to this may not know but um thailand is a beautiful beautiful country um there's a lot of jungle sometimes it's hard to get places um and there's also beautiful beaches as well but yeah like in the north like
00:13:07
Speaker
You know, there might be a smaller town or a village, but Kosen has made it available for more competitions to be closer by those schools. And then, of course, you know, there are the bigger...
00:13:20
Speaker
championships even of Thailand that schools can compete on and there as well. And it's amazing when I went there and for our listeners, I actually was able to go to Thailand and judge their championships two years ago. And it was fantastic. And I just...
00:13:38
Speaker
found it so amazing that there was so much variety and competitions um that Thailand has. Can you talk about a little bit of the different competitions that the Thais compete in for marching arts?
00:13:53
Speaker
You mean in the one competition about the category, right? Yeah, the different types of field shows and there's some unique things that you have in Thailand. Okay.
00:14:04
Speaker
Okay, in in in the I will be talking about the Thailand World Music Championships. In the Thailand World Music Championships, that's I call TWMC. that's That I mentioned you go before in Thailand, have some small groups and big groups. So I mixed some ideas of that to do the competition, mixed the category.
00:14:23
Speaker
Okay, if I have the matching future, matching future is the for the future, a lot of large members as the drum corps style. That's what we also do, that's part.
00:14:33
Speaker
And if the band is not much member, we we know WGI. We try to bring there some style from the WGI to do the competition also, like winds, collect guard, and percussion. That's one part part of the categories that the band can choose to join.
00:14:49
Speaker
And if there's not enough some member or instrument, I have another choice for them, maybe for the battle. We call it the marching music battle. If the battle is the like if you have drum like hoof,
00:15:02
Speaker
you maybe just can perform two minutes, you can join the commission already. And then,
00:15:10
Speaker
besides the dumb line battle, we also have the woodwind battle, bus line battle, and color guard battle. If your school have only 10 color guards, also can join the commission. That's why they have ma more chance for them to join the commission.
00:15:25
Speaker
makes more category for them. And also we have the modern concert band for the concert band that some band is prefer and more familiar with the concert band. They also joined the Thailand World Music Commission also.
00:15:40
Speaker
And last few years, I opened the new category for the modern symphony orchestra because yeah some band have the symphony orchestra. So, okay, I have chance for them to join the Commission also is not a marching band so it makes the Thailand World Music Championship bigger because we have a lot of the category and one more category I think I'm not sure you know we call the marching state parade I think the same like in US you do the rose parade right yeah the same thing we call the city and do the marching state parade marching state parade is the
00:16:18
Speaker
not not just the competition, it's to show our tech activity to the other people. It's not beside our outside our society. That's because they what we walk in the city, right? Every people we must see and they will get more support. Wow, and they enjoy the marching. I think marching stipulate can help the city and they help us to promote our marching art to the everyone. It's very good way also.
00:16:46
Speaker
That's the the cat category that I do in in Thailand, but, and also have another more, it's like ensemble, but it's just a few, few people. But in the future, we try to see what we can help the band and make the category for suitable for them.
00:17:05
Speaker
Yes. I mean, all that is fantastic because when i first went there, you had told me some things beforehand and the different categories that you have, the different types of,
00:17:15
Speaker
competition for the championships. But like, of course you said, um there's the regular field show. What I find is super interesting is they have, I would say, like you said, a core style field show, but there's also this really cute. And you have to tell me what it's, remind me what it's called. they They march, but they play the like keyboard and they blow into the... Oh, Meridika, Meridika.
00:17:41
Speaker
Yeah, Meridika. Yeah, yeah, Meridika. Yeah, is did the Medriga is the one price that we opened this category because the some schools don't have budgets to buy the brass or woodwinds.
00:17:53
Speaker
They have, because the Medriga is not too expensive, maybe 1000 Thai bars, around how much in US, around 30 US dollars can buy one one already. So some schools don't have yeah They want to join the commission, but they don't have instrument. This is another way that they can join for the kids.
00:18:16
Speaker
We open them for the Melodica class for Marching Future also. Yeah, I think that's amazing because you're giving students an opportunity to perform, to participate in the marching arts, but something that is um affordable for them, such as those keyboards.
00:18:36
Speaker
If you can look them up, but hopefully you're listening, it's like, um They're like keyboards and you blow into them and that produces the sound and they play on it. And it's i I saw one group and they were really, really cute. They were mostly younger students marching, but it was a very, very entertaining show. It's something I had never seen before.
00:18:54
Speaker
um So that's like in the big field show. that they do. And then you also said that you have winter winds and winter guard and winter drum line, which is pretty much the same that we have here in the U S too.
00:19:10
Speaker
So, and that it's, it's, it's really cool that you have, cause winter winds is relatively new to the winter seasons, season but the, what you do in what we do in August, you actually do in in the Thailand Championships and that takes place in December, right?
00:19:30
Speaker
Yes, just mostly in the December because the in Thailand we have three seasons, hot, summer, raining and winter.
00:19:41
Speaker
and In the hot, it's too hot and that time is the mostly the school exam periods. We cannot do do it some much activity.
00:19:52
Speaker
and The
00:19:57
Speaker
and the december is the best time in Thailand. that
Expansion Across Asia and Global Initiatives
00:20:00
Speaker
we do activity The winter, no rain, good weather, and everyone can come to the camp and also near the new year, new york near Christmas, we can have feeling ring to relax. and like a holiday, come to Washington school town for us every December. but I also wish one day I want needs to invite the US band coming to Thailand also.
00:20:24
Speaker
Oh yes, so that would be fantastic. So you I'm guessing you are open and welcoming to US bands coming to compete in Thailand? Yes, of course. We must welcome every band coming here because US bank maybe can show a lot of things for the Thai people and around the So i guess as yeah I'm sure everyone will come to watch.
00:20:49
Speaker
For sure. and so all the audience, you've heard that. If you want to get your marching band to Thailand, for sure reach out to Khostin and he will welcome you. That would be fantastic. I can definitely imagine some bands that you know want to make a really big trip.
00:21:05
Speaker
People do international trips with their marching bands to different countries. And I think that would be fantastic if a marching band came to Thailand and got to perform at your competition. whether it be field show or winter winds, winter guard. Whatever, whatever, any category.
00:21:23
Speaker
Any category. Let's talk about the next category that you, one of them that you mentioned, you have the street parade. um It's a little bit different than the US. s um I'm from California and we do competitive street parade.
00:21:38
Speaker
This one's a little bit different. You mentioned it's a little bit more like the rose parade. But i therere the students will perform down like a main street almost.
00:21:49
Speaker
um yeah when i would go was in seesiet um And they perform the routine um few times and then they get to the big main stage, I would say, where they do another performance. Can you talk a little bit more about that?
00:22:03
Speaker
Yeah, because the odd I want to make the the concept. First, every marching band, basically, they can walk the parade, right? I think basically, they can walk.
00:22:14
Speaker
But I want to give them there some idea to that they can continue and develop men for the next category. like How maybe they can... they were meant for the marching field show, indoor winds, anything else.
00:22:28
Speaker
So we try to give put the rules and regulations to them do something, not just the parade. When they brought the parade, I gave some idea to them, maybe ah we have the show point, show area for them.
00:22:41
Speaker
So they can make some any show like a marching field show, but very small size for them. So they can, students learn more. o aria and they can a little bit more sumptuous and a lot of the band after the the the machine sleep parade two tv yeah they shame to match in future because or they already learned how to walk the parade and make the show and then they combine together and easy for them.
00:23:09
Speaker
ah One of my concepts, the competition and rule regulations, everything must teach them how to do at the world about everything in marching band we have to we we we have to do If they compete competition in this category, what next they can do? We try to think about that for teach them and development of the band also. so I think that's great. You're right. Like when I saw the bands, we saw some of the groups might have been a little bit smaller, or a little bit younger, and they just played and marched through.
00:23:42
Speaker
And then I also saw some groups, they might have had a color guard and they did some formations while marching down the streets. Yes. And one thing I will say in Thailand, I love the schools. A lot of them had like more, I would say, traditional Thai outfits or costuming.
00:24:01
Speaker
It's so beautiful. A lot of gold, a lot of vibrant colors. It was cool to see that in their uniforms as well. um And then they march to the big, if they do have like a big show, it's like there's bleachers.
00:24:15
Speaker
So like Kosen has mentioned that they close down the city almost, they close down that street. And there's just yeah all around the audience is sitting in the bleachers and on chairs and like all around. and the whole town is like going to watch that show.
00:24:31
Speaker
So the kids have a huge audience for the parade and they march in and they have this, this almost, almost, I don't know how big it is, but it looks like almost the size of a basketball court and they can have their show and they do their show there.
00:24:43
Speaker
And the drum majors sometimes are part of it and they make it a huge thing. um If you get a chance to watch maybe something on YouTube, I definitely recommend it. But that's really cool that you have a parade competition,
00:24:56
Speaker
That is not just playing and walking. It's a little bit more than that as well. Fantastic. And then the last thing I want to say um that I want you to talk about is the the battles that you have. Can you talk a little bit more about that? Because some people may not know what those are.
00:25:14
Speaker
so i sorry, I guess. Can you talk about the marching battles that you have? Oh, marching battle. Okay. Marching music battle is the first time I saw i saw better is the from the movie.
00:25:31
Speaker
You know, the movie on Long Time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. dumbline movie And then I have a chance to go to Indonesia. I have tried to go Indonesia. And then they do the dumb line battle competition. That first time I saw the real competition from Indonesia.
00:25:47
Speaker
And then, wow, and that's time that time I go be the judge. And then i so I see this is a really good idea. Really good idea and very fun. Because one of the concepts, sometimes some out of outer people, they not understand what we do.
00:26:02
Speaker
But the battle can make them more fun and they more enjoy. Can bring a lot of audience come to watch. and enjoy our our ah marching art. So after I saw them the marching, the Dumb Lai battle from the Indonesia, I bring the concept to do in Thailand. 2010,
00:26:19
Speaker
two thousand and ten It's the first time I do the Dhamlai battle in Bangkok. I do it in the shopping mall and a lot of people. Really successful.
00:26:31
Speaker
I think you know the Siam, right? The center of Bangkok. yeah I do it in the section. And then a lot of people and really enjoy it. I think it's successful. And then after that, we do the Dhamlai battle. And then for five years after the Dhamlai battle, I feel like, yeah why we not do another section?
00:26:52
Speaker
The bus would win, even the Kalaika, they also have chance to battle also, to make the people have more understand and more fun. So I started to do the bus line battle first in Thailand in 2013.
00:27:07
Speaker
I can say this is the first time of the our marching art that the marching for the bus line battle that happened in the world. And then after that, after that, after a baseline battle was successful, I tried to create more for the woods wind and the color guard for everyone have.
00:27:25
Speaker
ah everyone have more chance to join and make more fun in this activity. And that's one point I told you, that's ah another people, a lot of the audience, they come to watch us, they're easy to understand and easy see to enjoy for the watching music better. It's one category that I think is really make the everyone more, can involve our activity, I think more fun also. so Yes, I think so too. And that was my first time seeing it in 2022.
00:27:57
Speaker
And for our listeners that might be unaware, so the battles are two teams that battle against one another. One is on one side one is on the other. They face each other.
00:28:08
Speaker
One performs while the other one is off. And they go back and forth a couple of times. So it's really cool because it can draw more people in It's a little bit more exciting because they're both teams seen each other at the same time. um And there's three judges in the middle. And so those judges will dictate of which per group will win. And they just gesture with the hands of who they think is the victor.
00:28:32
Speaker
So that is really cool. So you, again, you have drumline, you have brass, you have woodwinds, and then of course color guard battles. yes So that's, that's really cool. And you are definitely an an innovator.
00:28:46
Speaker
in the activity for trying to make these um battles happen. um And then one more thing ah that you talked about. So you also, during the Thailand World Championships, you have symphony and you have wind concert. Can you talk a little bit about those? Okay.
00:29:06
Speaker
Modern concert band is another concept that I try to create for the concert band. Because sometimes when the band do the concert band, sometimes it's, I can say like,
00:29:21
Speaker
wind, some band, the wind section is more important than the percussion or something. Some old teachers still have the some own concept, but percussion is not much, something like that.
00:29:37
Speaker
So I tried to get some some modern concept band and then the rule and the collection or the score will control them much development for the percussion and the wins together.
00:29:48
Speaker
If they are not good in percussion, the score for the percussion will be down because the caption will tell them automatically how they can do. So right now, after i do the modern concert band, a lot of bands try to pay the attention for the wind section, percussion section. It makes the balance and makes that every every student can learn more what they can do in the and our marching band society.
00:30:14
Speaker
And then marching band, the modern concert band I do in the hall. And then I mix the Because the same problem, I have to make the la the div division one the large number, and division two maybe a small number because and the very different school, very different number of the students that they can have, that make fair for them, for the country, because sometimes they have only 30 people of course,
00:30:42
Speaker
affect to the 100 people. It's not fair for them to compete together. That's what I can do. And then also, besides the modern concert band, i I think if we already already opened but the big hall, why would not bring the symphony orchestra to join?
00:31:00
Speaker
So i also make the modern symphony orchestra because the Samson Kuhn, they don't have marching band, but they have symphony orchestra that they can join us also. yeah And also, of course, I invite Welcome to every band all over the world to join us also for the modern concert band and modern symphony casta.
00:31:20
Speaker
Yeah, it definitely sounds like you are giving a lot of opportunities to different programs that, you know, of different sizes and different, ah we would say, socioeconomic backgrounds, you know, what they can afford, instrumentation that they get.
00:31:35
Speaker
And yeah, yeah that for your competition, you have field show, winter programs, battles, parade, and even concert stuff. So that's fantastic. Thank you so much, Kosan, for providing those things to your country.
00:31:51
Speaker
So we're going to take a little commercial break, and then we'll be back and we'll hear a little bit more about Kosin and what he's doing in Asia.
00:32:13
Speaker
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00:33:19
Speaker
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00:33:35
Speaker
And we are back. So now, Kosen, tell me more about the organizations that you founded because you've actually done quite a quite a lot. Go ahead and tell me about those. Okay, so next I want talk about the association.
00:33:52
Speaker
This association is the more, ah after I'm back from the DCI, I think we need to, because a long time ago in Thailand, don't have the any association that takes care of the marching band.
00:34:05
Speaker
It's mostly the who would organize the commission it to form the government side for some department to do the competition. And then I think that we need to do something after I back from the USA. I think that we need to form something.
00:34:21
Speaker
Before made the association on that time, I tried to make the group first for the we call the Thai marching band. On that time, I do the Thai Machine Band group and I do the website to promote. And and that's time that time, no Facebook.
00:34:37
Speaker
I try to make the forum um' like a web blog that the everyone can share some knowledge and give free some score and something like that to share each other. I start from the do the website and but being everyone come together.
00:34:51
Speaker
And after that, I try to make smart some clinic and so some activity. And then after, I think I do that, allow three or four years, and then more ah people know what I do.
00:35:04
Speaker
And then the first time I start to do that, I told you, I start to do the Thailand World Music Championship on the 2010, but that time I called the Thailand International Machine Band Competition, and and I changed the name on the 2012.
00:35:16
Speaker
on the two thousand and to And then upta after, since I start to do the competition, I know already, I cannot, I cannot, finished just only the group for the Thai marching band.
00:35:28
Speaker
I need to form something. So first, i i I set up for the Thai marching band association. Okay, the first time. And I do the Thai marching band association. association But ah in Thailand, ah the government, I mean the law, we cannot we cannot we cannot use the association of Thailand.
00:35:52
Speaker
if the yeah If we set up, I mean, the association must have the register more than 10 years. We only can use the off Thailand. And then I do i do the Thai machine banner solution until more 10 years. And I register to the the my government, the Thai government to be to use the off Thailand.
00:36:15
Speaker
So they approved me to use the off Thailand to satanttoentti So like right now the name of the association will be the Marching Band association Association of Thailand. What the effect to me if I use Thailand? Because if Thailand does mean every everybody, even the government, they accept and they they can have more support for this association, what I can do.
00:36:38
Speaker
When present some projects to the government, they more touched in us and they can more support what what we try to do is very important. That's the association.
00:36:49
Speaker
dan la like I'm not sure in the US, s maybe you have like the like a dumb quotation, maybe the INC, right? I'm not sure. Maybe the they have the like, what what the register.
00:37:01
Speaker
I think the same, I try to bring every concept from the desktop to put idea in the Thailand also. That's become the and so association. I can say right now, I try to tell our friend also,
00:37:14
Speaker
need to make a solution in your country. To you present what you do to the government, there will be more trust in you, not just the individual. You say to them, I want to do this, I want to do that.
00:37:27
Speaker
But a solution can help you a lot. That's some idea. Yes, I think that's super interesting and super unique um that happens in Thailand. i In the US, like we have different states and we might have state competitions. And of course, we have You know, for example, wgi um which is you know, founded in the U.S. But in Thailand, if you win competition, like if you're the championship star,
00:37:55
Speaker
you get an award presented to you and your group from, you know, the Thai government, because like Kosen said, it's of Thailand. So the Thai government will, you know, help out with the competition, but some funding and even the awards. I think one of the awards for a championship was presented like from the Royal family, like you have a big picture of her and the King, and then they get presented with the championship award, which is very cool.
00:38:25
Speaker
Yeah, because ah that that you mean you mentioned about the award. ah in In the Thailand World Music Championship, we have the award from the our king. It's very honor um for for everyone because the the king is very the top of our in Thailand.
00:38:42
Speaker
So who received the King Tophie is very honor for the school and can be present and really good for for them. And everyone will be really touched in the heart and get the award.
00:38:54
Speaker
the Tau Phi from the king. Yes, I thought that was super cool when they were like championship from the king and there was a big yeah the king and the queen. It was a huge ceremony for i was like, wow, I wish I've got an award from a king.
00:39:08
Speaker
But that can happen in Thailand. So that's that's amazing. So, yes, so you talked about, you know, starting of the Thai Association, getting that, you know, officiated from of Thailand, from the government.
00:39:21
Speaker
And you also do things in other parts of Asia. What other associations do you manage or you work, you know, of that are in other parts of Asia?
00:39:33
Speaker
but Okay, so after I do the work for the marching band in Thailand and i formed the association in Thailand, one of the problems that I met and also so another friend also had the same problem.
00:39:46
Speaker
When I present something, my government or some some department, they ask where I've been from. Like I mentioned something, We need to do this, we need to do that.
00:39:58
Speaker
Where I bring form? if we If we compare like a football, football they have the FIFA, can make the some rules and we follow, right? The football society they can follow and they can tell everyone this is the rule and regulation from the FIFA.
00:40:16
Speaker
But in marching band, i don't have we don't have that. you don't have that I cannot say it by government. I bring from where? even even we know Even our work but our so society, we know what we need to do. But government needs something that we bring from who?
00:40:33
Speaker
Why why do you need to do that? So I think this is the most big problem also. So on the 2016, I call every in go to meeting the first time in the China and then Last time, a lot of 14 countries come in to meetings and share the same problem.
00:40:53
Speaker
Oh yes, we need we have the same problem when we do some activity. Government never touched what we're talking about. We bring the details from who. So that first time, we okay everyone in the 14 countries, we agreed to set up the first Asian organization for the marching band.
00:41:11
Speaker
We signed together to make the Asian marching band confederation. And this time, we tried to make the the rule and regulation that everyone, every country can can use the same rules and can be sent to each country for the government to know what we we make from.
00:41:30
Speaker
And also we try to create some justice system that's suitable for the Asian country because Long time ago, we tried to use some DCI system, but some something maybe is not suitable for yeah it yeah i meet the students.
00:41:49
Speaker
Because the standard is not linked to the DCI, we need to so do something that is more suitable for them. We create some system for the commission for them. and after After I did the Asian Marching Band Confederation, we called it AMBC. It's about six years already, six and seven years.
00:42:09
Speaker
Very successful. More countries will join. And we have more than 50 competitions that we support. it's a lot It's a lot. Even Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, in China, we we have more than 50 competitions that are under the AMBC and use the AMBC system.
00:42:29
Speaker
and then Until now, ah we have to not just Asia interested in our concept. Even in South Africa, Europe, America, and also in the South africa you know Africa, they are also interesting our concept.
00:42:47
Speaker
want to join and use some ideas to bring. So, okay, I think they're one of the part that they during COVID. I think this is the also one of good ideas that we have AMBC.
00:42:59
Speaker
Why we not have more than AMBC outside Asia try to join together? So we call every platform you love from South Africa, from America, chart and then we formed a new so the organization.
00:43:14
Speaker
We call World Machine Band Organization right now. That there can bring everyone together. The point is that not for the competition. The point is for help everyone and share everyone bring everyone together and sharing and do more my actually did And also one part of the World Machine Band Organization we do, we try to make more marching band in the some country that never have before.
00:43:42
Speaker
Like ah if we come if we compare in the sport, every country have sport, right?
Future Vision and Global Collaboration
00:43:51
Speaker
So it can make the oil they can make the Olympics because every country have, even you have one people running,
00:43:58
Speaker
one people running you can join for the running, for the previous, right? But the marching band is not like that. We need like a team. It's not easy, it's like that. So I try to make smart.
00:44:10
Speaker
Every country have the marching band. Even in the i ah long time, I mean, and I forget the year. i I go to the Bhutan. You know Bhutan?
00:44:23
Speaker
Bhutan. Bhutan? You know, you know, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal. Oh yes, over there. yeah yeah that that That side, that side. They never have marching band before.
00:44:36
Speaker
And then I bring some instrument to give to them and start being, starting the marching band. So they have marching band first time in the country. And then they come to join, they they come to join Thailand one time. So I can say if we have more marching band every country,
00:44:55
Speaker
our society will be more big like like a sport. And the government will more support in but what we do. Because right now, really we like a really small society. What we do in the few countries already. In the future, every country, more, more, more marching band.
00:45:14
Speaker
I think it's good for everyone and good for the marching band society. Yes, yes. I completely agree. I think that is Fantastic, because it's even more than a fat fantastic. It's amazing because you started with a problem, the government, you know, wasn't really maybe taking you guys so seriously. But until you form this association where you can say like, these are our rules, this is what we abide by.
00:45:40
Speaker
You all collectively came together, all the Asian countries. And then now you're even thinking, more of like, okay, well, not just Asia, different countries, you know, bringing this and you even bringing instruments to other countries that may not have it and inviting them in to join you in your rights. Like,
00:45:59
Speaker
um There are, you know, football, for example, is played in a lot of different countries or running um yeah marching band there. It would be amazing, I think. And maybe this is your goal of like, you know, a really like global thing of like, you know, there's marching bands, you know, in every country and they all participate in some way, shape and form.
00:46:20
Speaker
So that's that's really great. Yeah, is is um is there is there anything else that you would like to talk about for the organizations that you that you help run? Okay, so just just out we we on behalf of the WMBO World Marching Band Organization, we it every country, is the we welcome everyone to join us and need you to form our marching band society to be bigger.
00:46:50
Speaker
And then we can show and help each Every country to make the marching band that and I'm sure good for everyone. If you make the competition, you will have more international bands to join.
00:47:02
Speaker
If you make some activities, you will have more people to join. If we have much and more marching bands around the world. It's not just a small society like today. We need to go up further and health and especially education need to need everyone to help education for the make our marching band to go and make the good standard that in every country.
00:47:27
Speaker
Yes. So you heard it here. So if you are in a country and you, you know, want to start something or you already have some marching arts in your country and you want to join, feel free to reach out because the more the merrier and the more competitions are going to be and the more events and the more education that'll go around for all the students as well.
00:47:48
Speaker
Fantastic. All right. So we're nearing the end of our program. So I'd like to hear from you. What do you, um you kind of said a little bit about it, but what do you see for the future for the marching arts, either in Thailand or in Asia or even worldwide?
00:48:08
Speaker
All right. Okay, in the future, is the we i mean we just dream what we think in the future. for For right now, I try to make the, Thailand, I'll talk in Thailand first.
00:48:20
Speaker
In Thailand, every school must have the good marching band. I mean, I try to even the good instrument, good instructor, and good student to join the marching band.
00:48:33
Speaker
Because the right now, the new generation, Some people, they're not interested to join the Machine Band. That's the one big problem for today. So in the future, if yep they're not interested for the Machine Band,
00:48:48
Speaker
I think marching band will go down. So I try to make today whatever what I can to make the new generation. I mean the kids, the young people, that's much interesting in the marching band and take them to join us for every school, promote marching band to the students to join and do some activity that they're interesting.
00:49:11
Speaker
In the future, must be more good marching band and more and more in the and a good standard. and And that's to you, we try to design it like our dream.
00:49:22
Speaker
We try to reach more standard and more skill like design core. But it's not not easy to go on the on ah easy to call the the way because the some resource and the budget, everything in sector, really, really, really limit.
00:49:43
Speaker
You know, one thing in Thailand, many, many, the band teacher is not music people. Sometimes they come. Yeah. Because we don't have much, ah in Thailand, we don't have much music teacher to take care of the band.
00:49:59
Speaker
Sometimes make fun the from the math, from the sign, from the whatever, come to take care of the band. But they don't have the, they don't have the knowledge about the, machine band, but they try to do.
00:50:11
Speaker
So this is the one one thing that we try to give the education education to them to form the machine band. So I can say right now in the future, education is really important fa for the every machine band. So we try to give them whatever what we can to them.
00:50:28
Speaker
that's the If today they know more, in the future will have good machine band. Yes, I think that's a really good goal, especially in terms of education, you know, expanding it and bringing more education to individual groups and no matter what kind of group that they have.
00:50:45
Speaker
That's fantastic. um But sometimes the students are taught by people that really don't know too much about marching band. Have you come up with a solution for that? Okay.
00:50:56
Speaker
So, We also try to do some small clinic and try to make the some clinic to every part of Thailand to teach the insect. And I have to create one big clinic we call the Thailand Bairn Clinic.
00:51:12
Speaker
We do every almost every June, July, on this time, we bring the teachers all of Thailand, even the outside Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia coming. And we we bring the good instructor to share and we have the best for the demonstration to them to show how to do this, how to do ah to teach them like this, how what the Li Sao can show them.
00:51:34
Speaker
That's what told you before. Many of the teachers know music background. They just got to get orders from the school principal. Hey, you go take care band. So they need to learn more and try to find the information how to teach the student. That's the most difficult.
00:51:50
Speaker
So Thailand Band Clinic can help a lot of the instructors in Thailand, can have the idea, go back to teach the student. That's be all we already do for the education part. That's great. Yes, great. Yeah, cool.
00:52:02
Speaker
are knowledgeable about marching arts, that know how to play, that know how to you know march, you know do visuals and also spin, um can give back and can give more information to those students so they can expand their learning education.
00:52:18
Speaker
So that's great. Yeah, so that's a brilliant opportunity for people that know our educators to go and give and teach in Thailand. That is definitely really cool thing to offer.
00:52:28
Speaker
To our audience, if you ever get a chance Go visit Thailand. It is a beautiful country full of wonderful temples and beautiful scenery and fantastic food.
00:52:40
Speaker
And hopefully if you are in the area when there is the championships or there is a competition nearby, if you're traveling, for sure want go and check one out. Be supportive of them and you'll be amazed about the uniqueness that they have in the country.
00:52:56
Speaker
So before we end, I have a gush and in this segment. You can gush about anything else that you want to talk about. Anything either related to, you know, what you're currently doing or something else related, but go ahead and tell us anything else you'd like to let us know about.
00:53:18
Speaker
ah Okay. so Look like easy question. Okay. So, I don't have nothing not nothing to say much about it. Just the need everyone help to support the marching art society.
00:53:33
Speaker
Whatever what you can, especially that that I always we talking about education, what you but you can give to Asian people, please come to Thailand, not just Thailand, another country or so.
00:53:46
Speaker
We need help from everyone to give a lot of the education that we can You need to come to help us. And also any any organization around the world, we invite you to join the World Machine Band Organization that we know each other. Especially important, we know each other.
00:54:04
Speaker
We can make friends for every country. We can go up together and we can do more activity together. We can get support from everyone together also. we need We need everyone come together to form our World Machine Band Organization.
00:54:17
Speaker
Yes, yes. Make more friends and educate your fellow comrades and your your fellow peers in the marching arts. It'll be very helpful for everyone.
00:54:37
Speaker
All right. Thanks so much. This is a great international first rehearsal. Thank you, Kosen, for joining me today. times. Yeah. If people want to find out more about what you do or from your organizations, how do they contact you or see what's happening in Thailand or in Asia?
00:54:59
Speaker
Okay, we have the website for the our our association. Maybe you can go to mbat.or.th, mbat.or.th, and also the competition Thailand World Music Championship, twmc.or.th.
00:55:17
Speaker
You can contact us anytime. Or even contact me, gosin.supersitvong.com. Yes. And for sure, yes, look up those websites, find out more. Maybe your group can go or maybe you can individual can help, you know, different countries within the association, like we've said before, or, you know, look stuff up on YouTube and just get familiar because there's so much in the different part of the country and different part of the world, I should say, that we don't really know about here in the West, but we should definitely get to know about because there's some past some fantastic things that are happening.
00:55:53
Speaker
Lastly, to our audience,
Conclusion and Credits
00:55:54
Speaker
don't forget, we have our YouTube channel now that has many of our interviews coming out as well as full video editions. Go and subscribe so you don't miss those.
00:56:05
Speaker
um So before we close out our podcast listening, please make sure that you go subscribe, ah write us a review, share this with a friend, follow us on social media, at on a water break, and we'll see you at the next rehearsal.
00:56:21
Speaker
Thank you so much. Thank you. Bye-bye.
00:56:30
Speaker
On a Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Ream. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit LidaMusic.com.
00:56:41
Speaker
And until next time, thanks for tuning in.