Mahidol’s College of Music laments lack of govt support for the arts
Despite an increasing number of art exhibitions and performances in Thailand in recent years, the country is still woefully bereft of government support in these areas.
Jazz is among the genres being largely ignored, despite the fact that over the past 4-5 years, Mahidol University has witnessed a 30–40% increase in jazz majors, reflecting jazz's popularity in Bangkok, where numerous jazz bars and clubs have emerged.
Darin Pantoomkomol, Associate Dean for Education, Academic Affairs, and Research at Mahidol University, expressed his disappointment.
“I highly value the Thai traditional arts, but I want to see a balance from the public sector in supporting all kinds of art and cultures equally, whether traditional, contemporary, and modern, since they are all valuable and could bring fame and recognition to Thailand as well."
The Thailand International Jazz Conference 2024 (TIJC), which was held at the College of Music Salaya campus from January 26–28, was, as ever, a great success. The annual event highlighted the global recognition of TIJC among foreigners and the growing interest from renowned jazz musicians from all over the world to perform at the festival.
They are supported by the private sector, both domestic and international jazz musicians, and jazz enthusiasts. This year, TIJC adopted the concept of "real jazz" to emphasise its focus on jazz performances amid increased interest from international artists, while its main stage featured performances by international bands. This year, TIJC introduced a new stage, the 'Cat Stage', due to increased interest from performers.
According to Darin, international bands praised the festival's university setting, highlighting its blend of entertainment and educational jazz knowledge.
Workshops and conferences with renowned artists were presented, uplifting the vibes and the event's uniqueness and educational value.
While jazz in Thailand is misconceived as music exclusively for the hi-so crowd, Darin defines it as a variety of buffet lines boasting many kinds of unexpected flavours and always fresh.
“Among foreigners, TIJC is recognised on the global stage, and it seems like more and more people want to come to this festival, as evidenced by the crowds who joined this year’s event and the number of well-known jazz musicians who contacted us to perform at our event," he added.
With TIJC’s potential to become a premier jazz destination in Thailand, Darin urged the government to take action and support the art.
