Chadchart sets up battle of student marching bands

Chadchart sets up battle of student marching bands

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Chadchart sets up battle of student marching bands
Members of the Suranaree Witthaya School marching band practice at the school to prepare for a battle against two schools in Bangkok on Sunday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

City Hall will host a marching band contest between two schools in Bangkok and another two from Nakhon Ratchasima on Sunday afternoon at Indoor Stadium Huamark in Bang Kapi district.

The battle between Wat Suthiwararam and Wachirathamsatit schools in the capital and Ratchasima Witthayalai and Suranaree Witthaya schools from the northeastern province will take place from 2pm to 4.30pm.

A source said the idea for the event first came up on National Boy Scouts Day on July 1 when governors from around the country gathered together, including Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt and Nakhon Ratchasima's Wichian Chantaranothai.

As Nakhon Ratchasima is home to some of the world's top-ranked marching bands, Mr Chadchart floated the idea of organising a competition between the two provinces to stimulate the economy.

All 1,500 complimentary seats were reserved within 26 minutes of them being released on July 25, the source said.

People can watch it via live broadcast on the Facebook page of City Hall's Public Relations Office, as well as Thai PBS.

Antigen tests will be mandatory for those attending in person.

According to the Facebook page, the marching band of Wat Suthiwararam School was founded in 1955 to play for the school's Boy Scouts.

The school has won many global music contests such as the World Marching Show Band Championship in Sydney in 1999. It also pocketed the Class A Champion Award in this year's Music and Marching Arts World Championship.

Wachirathamsatit School, also in Bangkok, was named the best-supporting group at Thailand's 32nd student marching band competition and collected the Royal Cup bestowed by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2013 and 2014.

Meanwhile, Suranaree Witthaya School triumphed at the Sit and Play Concert World Association of Marching Show Bands in Copenhagen, Denmark. It also won the best music director award at a music festival in Rastede, Germany in 2015.

Ratchasima Witthayalai School has won numerous music contests since 1988.

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