This summer, young musicians in Bangkok can take advantage of an exciting opportunity to play in a group with the 2019 Bangkok Chamber Music course, taught by celebrated violinist and conductor Leo Phillips.
Born in London, Leo studied the violin in Europe and the USA. He appeared as a violin soloist with many orchestras, including The London Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, The Orchestre de Chambre de Genève and the National Symphony Orchestra of South Africa. A dedicated chamber musician, Leo was a founder member of the Vellinger String Quartet, and leader of the internationally regarded Nash Ensemble of London with whom he toured extensively and has made many critically acclaimed recordings and broadcasts.
Leo says, “Chamber music is the great love of my life – it’s what I much prefer. Some of the big romantic symphonies never really got to me in the same way. They can make you feel as though you are a really small part of an enormous machine, whereas chamber music is so immediate and massive and intense.”
Fueled by this passion, Leo has been a regular participant at chamber music festivals. He has also appeared as Leader/Concertmaster and often Director of many world-renowned orchestras in over 60 countries worldwide. In 2003, Leo was invited to conduct the Thailand premiere of Benjamin Britten’s opera ‘The Turn of the Screw’ at the Thailand Cultural Centre. The opening night was graced with the attendance of H.R.H. Princess Galyani Vadhana, and also present was the then director of the Bayreuth Festspiele, Wolfgang Wagner.
Subsequent to this much acclaimed debut, Leo has been performing regularly with The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, The Thailand Philharmonic, The Siam Philharmonic, The Siam Chamber Orchestra, The Bangkok Wind Ensemble and, most recently, The Galyani Vadhana Institute Orchestra, of which, in 2011, he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor.
Much in demand as a violin teacher and chamber music coach, Leo is offering a one-week 2019 Bangkok Chamber Music course for young (12-18 years old) violin, viola or cello students who may be interested in playing in a quartet this summer. Students must be Abrsm 6 above or equivalent.
How to Apply
For those who would like to do some solid chamber music training for a week, please send an audition clip to [email protected] or call Angela 081 868 4978 for more info.
Venue: Sukhumvit soi 34, Bangkok (Phromg Phromg Station)
Time: 10am-3pm
Fee: 3,000 baht per day
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