A love song for Myanmar

A love song for Myanmar

Published on Monday, 30 September 2013 16:20

Phatarawadee Phataranawik

The Nation

Yangon   

The Suanplu Chorus, dressed in traditional Thai costume, covered songs from around Southeast Asia in the concert celebrating 65 years of Thailand-Myanmar diplomatic relations. (Photo Kittinun Rodsupan/The Nation)

The popular love song "Kaung Ma Lay" ("Young Lady") echoed loudly around the National Theatre in Yangon last Saturday, but, rather than being delivered by pop singers as usual, it came from Thailand's award-winning Suanplu Chorus. The group gave a beautiful rendition of the tune about true love overcoming differences in language and culture.

"Kaung Ma Lay" was the highlight of a show called "The Melodies of Friendship by Suanplu Chorus", which celebrated the 65th anniversary of Thailand-Myanmar diplomatic relations. The Thai Embassy was the host.

"Although we speak different languages and have different cultures, we are all Buddhists and share much culture," Ambassador Pisanu Suvanajata pointed out. "Just like the chorus, we perform harmoniously."

The event followed the success of the "Textiles of the Two Lands" Exhibition earlier this year, which inspired Pisanu to organise an evening of musical friendship as well. Music, he knows, has no barriers.

The Suanplu Chorus, wearing gorgeous classical costumes, sang in Myanmarese for nearly 1,000 guests, including diplomats, businessmen and cultural experts from both countries. In the audience were Vice President U Nyan Tun, Union Culture Minister U Aye Myint Kyu, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister U Tin Oo Lwin, Deputy Information Minister U Pike Htwe, and U Nyunt Swe, chairman of the Myanmar-Thailand Association of Friendship.

Chorus director Dusdi Banomyong called the 35 members of her group "culture ambassadors". They'd rehearsed for four months, working with specialists from several ASEAN member-countries on lyrics and arrangements. They performed for 90 minutes accompanied by the ranad (xylophone) and a grand piano and led by Filipino conductor Ramon Lijauco Jr.

After a summary of its repertoire, the chorus, dressed in black, sang songs about the two counties hardy relationship - Elgin's "Gloria", the theme from the romantic movie "Ice Castles", Carole Bayer Sager's "Through the Eyes of Love" and the Broadway hit "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Changed into traditional Siamese outfits for the second act, they performed tunes from around Southeast Asia, like the Javanese ballad "Luk Luk Lumba", in which the upbeat percussion mimicked the sound of gamelans and "Illay Gandangan" ("Worship of the Sun") from the Philippines. The segment was capped by "Kaung Ma Lay".

The final act, "Come Join", featured Thai-style sanook with ramwong dancing and the old tune "Yo Yod Phra Lo" by late national artists Phayong Mukda and Montree Tramote. There was His Majesty the King's compositions "Oh I Say" and "Sang Duen" ("Moonlight"). "Lao Duang Duean" ("Moon Ballad") and "Kamen Sai Yoke" ("Sai Yok Waterfall") paid homage to the culture of Laos and Cambodia.

The show ended warmly with "Phama Thung Le", a medley of venerable songs dating back 300 years. Included was the children's song "Chang" ("Elephant") with its rousing chorus of "lay, lay, lay". VIP guests were invited to dance along, creating a memorable scene of friendship.

"Thailand and Myanmar are close friends," U Nyunt Swe averred. "Learning and sharing our cultures can tighten our relationship."

Celebrations of that friendship continue until year's end. Thais will travel to Yangon for a Katin Ceremony and doctors will offer Myanmar people free medical services. Thailand is also establishing a Bt4-million centre at a Yangon hospital that will specialise in prosthetic limbs.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/09/30/a-love-song-for-myanmar/