String players from the KSO traveled to Bangkok to teach children in the slums
“These are the poorest of the poor—those at the very bottom of the social ladder. It was quite a powerful experience,” says violinist Lars Lunde.
In September, five string players from the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra (KSO) traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to visit the Immanuel Music School, which provides music education to children in the slums.
There, they taught classes and also held their own concerts to raise funds for the school. Now, several of the musicians in the orchestra want to become regular contributors
“We also want to travel down there on a regular basis,” violist Kjell Åge Stoveland tells Fædrelandsvennen.
Violence, drugs, and prostitution
The story of how five musicians from the KSO traveled to Bangkok began a year ago. Over the course of six months, Ivar Heier and Rune Røiseland got in touch with Stoveland after visiting Thailand and hearing about the Immanuel Music School. It is a music school that the Norwegian Solveig Johannesen founded 16 years ago.
The KSO string section, together with students from Immanuel Music School—Solveig Johannessen (right) founded the school in 2000.
The school is located at Immanuel Church in Klong Toey, one of Bangkok’s slum areas. What began with just a few students has now grown into four orchestras with a total of about 100 children and young people. Some of the students receive scholarships so they can train to become musicians. But for most students, the school offers an alternative to an environment marked by violence, drugs, and prostitution.
On September 22, the five KSO musicians traveled down to visit the school and see if there was anything they could do. The encounter with extreme poverty was overwhelming.
“These are the poorest of the poor—those at the very bottom of the social ladder. It was quite a powerful experience,” says violinist Lars Lunde.
– Didn't have any
The encounter with a 5-year-old girl was particularly moving.
“She came every day right after school, wearing a white shirt, and played like a princess. But she had no one to look after her. Her father was in prison and her mother was a drug addict. She lived off whatever she could find on the street. Every now and then, her grandmother would give her something. There are so many basic needs that aren’t being met here, but which we take for granted,” says Stoveland.
John Harrison (bass), Leonardo Sesenna (cello), Lars Lunde (violin), Pål Svendsberget (violin), and Kjell Åge Stoveland (viola) are back from Bangkok after visiting a music school in the slums. Photo: Myklebust, Eva
The KSO musicians taught children and young people at all grade levels at the school and were impressed by both their enthusiasm for playing and their ability to learn quickly.
“They were very easy to teach and responded quickly,” says violinist Pål Svendsberget.
“It was very intense. For them, music is freedom and life. Music can be a way out of their difficulties,” says cellist Leonardo Sesenna.
Concert featuring students from Immanuel Music School in the heart of Bangkok.
“We played Grieg’s ‘Holberg Suite’ with them. It probably wasn’t the most accurate performance, but it was definitely the one with the most feeling,” says bassist John Harrison.
– Do you bring that joy of playing with you into Konsertsalen?
“Yes. I suppose we do get a little jaded. We play amazing music every day, and just like for everyone else, a job can just become a job for us too. It’s nice to have confirmation that music is actually very important,” replies Lars Lunde.
Benefit Concert
Back home in Norway, the musicians want to continue supporting the school. After many years in the country, Solveig Johannessen must return to Norway with her ailing husband, and the school needs both funds and staff to keep operating. The initial goal is to cover the salary of a former student who wants to work as a music teacher at the school
On Sunday, KSO held a chamber concert to raise funds for the school, and there are more to come.
“We hope we can organize a big benefit concert here at Kilden,” says Kjell Åge Stoveland.