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From the Ring to the Reeds: Bridging Conflict and Harmony through Creative Dialogue in Music

22 August 2024

15:00- 15:30 hrs (GMT+7)
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The "Four-Faced Brahma for Double Woodwind Quintet" composition, a centerpiece of the "From the Ring to the Reeds" project, exemplifies the fusion of traditional Thai music with contemporary Western woodwind techniques. This innovative work, inspired by the Wai Kru Muay Thai ritual dance, demonstrates music's capacity to transform conflict into harmony, embodying the Thai concept of creative disagreement. Composed for double woodwind quintet and piano, "Four-Faced Brahma" utilizes musical metaphors to foster collaborative mindsets in conflict resolution. The piece's structure mirrors conflict and harmony dynamics through its innovative arrangement, with two woodwind quintets engaging in a musical dialogue that alternates between unified and opposing passages. The piano serves as a mediating force, bridging the quintets and facilitating resolution.


Drawing from Muay Thai dance and Thai musical traditions, the composition employs contrasting rhythms, harmonies, and melodic lines that evolve into synchronized patterns, reflecting the progression from discord to harmony. This musical representation aligns with the symposium's theme of exploring music's transformative power in creating a "dreamland" where conflicts are resolved through the universal language of sound. The adaptation of "Four-Faced Brahma" to a sextet format further exemplifies conflict resolution and compromise in music composition. This transformation required reevaluating the piece's structure and musical elements, mirroring challenges faced in resolving societal conflicts. Creative solutions, such as redistributing melodic lines and reimagining harmonic structures, were implemented.


The "From the Ring to the Reeds" project demonstrates music's capacity to bridge cultural gaps by blending traditional Thai music with contemporary forms for Western woodwind instruments. This approach recognizes that music's indeterminacy of meaning is crucial to human culture, allowing for flexible interpretations across cultural boundaries. The adaptation of Thai musical elements for Western instruments serves as a metaphor for creating harmony through flexibility, reflecting the idea that performing multicultural music requires experiencing music in new ways.


The project's innovative techniques, such as incorporating modern extended techniques to capture unique Thai sounds, demonstrate the flexibility required in cross-cultural musical endeavors. By promoting Thai musical culture globally and enhancing Thai woodwind musicians' skills to meet international standards, the project contributes to fostering empathy and social harmony through music education and collaborative projects. This research suggests that intention and creative opportunities are crucial for successful musical creativity, a principle evident in this project's approach to cultural synthesis and conflict resolution through music. The "Four-Faced Brahma" composition and the broader "From the Ring to the Reeds" project offer valuable insights into music's role in bridging cultural divides, fostering understanding, and creating a harmonious "dreamland" where conflicts are resolved through the universal language of sound.

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