This story begins in 2018, when at the young age of 8 an up-and-coming talented pianist "Teya-Svari Tejacharoenanan" began performing in front of large audiences outside of her friends and family. She was the only youth pianist who performed on stage at the CLASSICAL CONCERT FOR KIDS with the world-class orchestra band Pro Musica in Bangkok, Thailand. She masterfully performed very challenging pieces from the musical Peter and also Wolf Op.67, composed by Sergei Prokofiev.
After many continued years of dedicated practice and performances both across Thailand and internationally, on February 14, 2022 Teya-Svari received an award that brought fame to the nation – the 2022 Children and Youth Award in the category of Arts and culture and music from the Ministry of Education. This award was presented by Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Education, at the Teachers Council of Thailand Auditorium on behalf of students from Bangkok Patana School. Teya-Svari also recently participated in the esteemed 6th Steinway Youth Piano Competition 2022 Thailand, where she reached the Final round of the Age 12-15 Professional Category, and ultimately received the first runner-up prize, which is a prestigious pride to her and her family.
Teya-Svari is now 12 years old, studying in Year 8 at Bangkok Patana School. She has recently become more of an activist, using her incredible talent to bring happiness and joy to Thai people and through very institutions that offer opportunities. Her shift in focus from solely being a performance artist came in 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, Rotary Thailand organized an online charity concert via Facebook Live and Youtube Live. Teya participated in this concert and helped Rotary to raise a significant amount on charity funds from the audiences at home who listened to her. She said, “I was glad to play the piano from home and create happiness for the audiences through music, so that more people made contributions to Rotary to help people with COVID-19 during difficult times in Thailand and around the world. Personally, this is very fun for me and I love performing music and want to do it more.”
From this first taste of performing at a live concert with Rotary Thailand, Teya-Svari has continued her charitable efforts on many other occasions, one such being her volunteer performance at the Children's Hospital Foundation from 2021 to 2022. Teya-Svari said that, “My grandfather, Suraphongs Tejavibulya and my parents had made merit with the Children's Hospital Foundation (Queen's National Institute of Child Health) since she was very young, such as donating patient beds on my birthday, donating GE Giffage Omnibed, and also donating heart valve replacements for Thai youths born with heart valve defects. My family always took me to give away these items. Until one day, the staff of the Children's Hospital contacted me and asked if I had free time to play Christmas carols for outpatients on December 24, 2021. I remembered that I responded and agreed immediately.
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At that time, I chose to play the violin because I could also play the violin and it was much more convenient to transport. That day, the kids from all wards came to listen and watched me. Many children asked to touch and hold a real violin for the first time. Many of them asked to take photos with me and the violin. Another occasion that I was impressed was earlier this year when the hospital contacted and invited me to play the piano in the press conference to launch the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-12. On that day, the hospital prepared a grand piano for me. I was so excited because there were reporters waiting to listen to my performance and report to the public. While I was performing the Turkish March, His Excellency Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Public Health, walked by and also stopped to watch my performance. Children receiving vaccinations talked to me about the piano and asked when I started playing and where I studied. I was glad to give back to such good activities for society through the music I have studying since I was 5."
From her interview, it was obvious that when Teya-Svari told the story of her volunteering activities, her eyes were filled with smiles and sparkles of pride. These have been cultivated to Teya-Svari by her family in the role of a 'giver'. She defined what she did as Music Therapy, which was something that could add back to many aspects of society. She now wants to be a small part of driving this musical therapy forward to all aspects of Thai society in the future. Teya-Svari added, "I have learned so much more than just being a contestant in the piano competition and be a 'giver' of music to others. The thing I receives in return is not a reward, but the impression, smiles, and invaluable experience and service to others."
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Notes: Teya-Svari Tejacharoenanan is currently 12 years old and is in the Year 8 at Bangkok Patana School. She is the eldest daughter of Kritsaran - Thanyathorn (Tejavibulya) Tejacharoenanan. Her family operates the industrial business of producing pulp and kraft paper for many packaging applications in Thailand under the name of Panjapol Pulp Industries (Public) Company Limited (PPL) and Panjapol Paper Industries Company Limited (PPI).
Teya-Svari has been interested in classical music since she was only 5 years old. She particularly loves listening to the music of the famous composer, Mozart. She first heard Mozart’s music from developmental toys and songbooks, and her family helped her begin piano lessons with Dr. Pornphan Banternghansa, the accomplished piano teacher with high potential and musical talent from the Piano Academy of Bangkok.
At the age of 6, she competed in various international competitions. Her first international competition where she won the First Prize was the Vienna Grand Prize Virtuoso in Vienna, Austria. She was also invited to perform musical performance and receive an award at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, USA in September 2016. After that, Teya-Svari has continued to compete in piano competitions internationally and in Thailand. She won a total of over 30 awards. Currently, she is studying violin in Grade 6 of ABRSM. As for piano, she is preparing for a LTCL Diploma at Trinity College London of the United Kingdom.
Trinity LTCL diploma is equivalent in standard to the final year recital of an undergraduate degree
You can follow Teya-Svari’s performances on YouTube Channel: Svari Teya Tejacharoenanan.
