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Santi School of Music – A Hidden Gem

Jean-Pierre Kirkland

Tucked away behind the Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Mall on Soi 5 off Sirimangkhlajarn Road is one of Chiang Mai’s hidden gems – the Santi School of Music. Founded as a small teaching studio in 2001 by Santi Saenthong and his business manager and administrator, Naravich Sankaew (Ken), then registered and licenced by the government in 2011, the school is a vibrant and excellent centre of musical knowledge and learning. The privately-run school offers expert professional tuition in the majority of instruments to be found in a modern symphony orchestra – the full range of strings, woodwind and brass; but on offer also are opportunities to learn traditional Thai instruments such as the khim, a distant relation of the Eastern European cimbalom or North American hammered dulcimer. The school boasts a small choir and also offers vocal lessons in singing from traditional, through classical to popular music. The school really shouts its musical message as one first enters the spacious reception room – it is packed with musical paraphernalia such as pianos, a range of violins in glass cabinets, musical scores, portraits of great composers on the walls and many displays of students’ performances around the room. With 10 teachers, some full and others part time, there are eight practice rooms and upstairs a large performance room big enough to seat around forty people. The school is never still – even in the late evening, students can be heard struggling with technical sections of a Chopin etude or trying to capture the inimitable spirit of a Schubert song, while a distant violin or flute can be heard as their devotee students learn in this admirable environment and wonderful community resource.

Santi himself, at 45 years old, is one of the piano teachers with a heavy schedule of lessons in addition to his two full days teaching at Prem Tinsulanonda International School in Mai Rim where he is the instrumental facilitator. But Santi’s origins are not in music. He originally studied linguistics at Naresuan University in Pitsanulok before settling in Chiang Mai where he continued his studies at Payap University for a while. Fortunately for music lovers and music students in the north, he decided to focus on music rather than his original studies and with his background in keyboard, he set off for Manchester, England, where he spent a full month studying organ at the long-established Victoria University. After that, it was back to Chiang Mai and the eventual founding of the school. With 130 students currently on roll, the school has widened its arena significantly in recent times. It now presents an annual recital at the AUA auditorium for its students, monthly student and teacher recitals, it hosts classes in jazz appreciation and it regularly raises money for local charities through its recitals and concerts. Young children are also included with classes in music appreciation for children aged 2 and above. The pianos, of which there are currently 13 in the school, are offered out for hire into the community and members of the public are welcome to borrow a decent range of scores, books, CDs and DVDs from the adequately stocked lending library.

Santi, whose favourite composer is Franz Liszt, enjoys travel and photography. His excellent command of the English language has enabled him to bridge the gap between eastern and western music so that his students can benefit from great enthusiasm, wide ranging knowledge and enormous experience. His dreams are to own and open a concert hall in Chiang Mai. For his school, he wants his own students to have the finest facilities in which to study, to have the best education possible in learning instruments or singing so that standards of teaching and learning are constantly being raised. More information can be found on the website: www.santimusicschool.ac.th