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The Y4Y (youth for youth) Music Festival was first staged last year and featured a full rehearsal concert by the UBS Verbier Youth Festival Orchestra from Switzerland.
This was held in the spectacular setting of the Three Kingdoms Theme Park adjacent to the Horseshoe Point Resort and Country Club, and it proved a huge success in spite of co-inciding with the annual Loy Krathong celebrations.
So much so that it was decided to make it an annual event on the Pattaya Social Calendar.
For this year, the main venue was again the Three Kingdoms Park and the concerts this year were spread over two evenings, featuring first an evening of songs from Broadway and Film Musicals, followed by an evening of contemporary Jazz.
In addition, the prelude to the first evening’s event was a spectacular horse show in the Grand Arena next to the resort hotel. This was also the location for a series of daytime workshops featuring tuition on singing and jazz.
Finding ourselves unable to resist a very reasonably priced package comprising of admission to all the events coupled with two night’s accommodation at the resort, we duly set off on the Friday afternoon for the short drive to the Horseshoe Point.
On arrival after a welcoming drink we were shown to our room just one floor above the display arena where horses were already being paraded around.
The remainder of that afternoon was spent exploring the resort grounds (our report the actual resort can be found elsewhere in this edition) before returning in preparation for the evening’s horse show event.
This featured a display of horsemanship by several skilled riders all trained in the famous Lusitano classical style and ably led by Khun Chaikiri and Khun Chainarin, the two elder brothers of the Srifuengfund family. The show, all performed in beautiful traditional costumes, went under the heading of ‘Dances with Horses’ and with the movements of the horses in time with the music it was a very appropriate title.
The most spectacular part of this display was the ‘Electric Horse’ performed in complete darkness (and unfortunately but understandably no flash photography allowed) with a single horse outlined with lights giving a dancing display that would have impressed Torvill and Dean.
From the horse arena we were transported by electric buggy car the short distance  to the Three Kingdoms Park, there to find a stage set out in front of the main pagoda.
A choice of seating was available including our choice; - stools around a tall table (for refreshment naturally).
The concert featured a male singer khun Duangdao and a lady, Khun Mongkol Chayasirisophon (who we discovered later was Khun Duangdao’s wife).
They took it in turns to entertain us with songs from famous stage and film musicals most of which were very familiar to the audience, and were throughout ably accompanied by a grand piano.
The spectacle was enhanced by the lighting on the background pagoda which constantly changed colour and by the effects of swirling coloured smoke. Further increasing the dramatic effect were a series of laser beams comin from behind the top of the pagoda and spreading outwards like spokes of a wheel.
The only wa y to photograph this was without flash and with a very long exposure and the result unfortunately came out slightly shaky but we thought you would still like to see it.
After taking it in turn to perform there was a short interval featuring two pianists, one the incomparable Dr. Paddy Dixon, well known to Bangkok jazz enthusiasts and the other Poom Prommachart a 14 year old Thai piano prodigy.
Khun Duangdao and Khun Mongkol then returned to conclude their concert with a series of duets.
An impressive start to the whole event.
Next morning after a leisurely breakfast in the impressive first floor restaurant overlooking on one side the display arena and on the other the ho tel swimming pool, we set out to explore the Three Kingdoms park by daylight. Again our detailed report on this can be found elsewhere in this edition.
Returning we found the first of the singing workshops being held in the main arena with Khun Duangdao and Khun Mongkol instructing a small group of participants in the art of singing and as far as we could ascertain (the instruction was all in Thai) voice control and delivery.
Not being gifted with the art of singing no matter how much instruction, we ‘passed’ on this and instead enjoyed a rel axing afternoon beside the hotel pool.
In the evening we again returned to the Three Kingdoms Park this time for a concert featuring two jazz bands, the ‘No Square’ quartet from Switzerland and a local All Star Band from Bangkok.
First on stage were ‘No Square’ performing a series of their own compositions of high quality modern jazz.
Even those of us whose musical preferences lay elsewhere still could not fail to ad mire the musical ability of all four players. It would be difficult to single out any single one performer but we highlight here Guillaume Perret, the performer on the tenor and soprano sax and also Yannick Oppliges Dinnes, the apparently very laid back but actually very spectacular drummer.
At the conclusion of their performance there was a short break whilst the ‘All Star’ band assembled themselves on stage.
They featured a well known Thai guitarist, Khun Prode and a female vocalist Khun Kob Saowanit Nawaphan.. Also amongst their players we noticed a familiar figure, the very accomplished saxophone player we had previously e njoyed at the Hua Hin Jazz Festival a few months previously.
Their style of jazz although still in the modern vein was initially more relaxed and therefore more to our assembled taste.
Later on in their session they turned up the pace and provided some very popular numbers so much so that at the conclusion of their act they were applauded back  for an encore.
The evening concluded with an impromptu ‘jam session’ featuring artists from both bands playing together.
This was greatly enjoyed by the audience some of whom took to dancing on the grass in front of the stage, not least Khun Srifuengfung who d emonstrated that it was not only his horses that could dance.(photo from E-Mail)
After which we all retired for a good night’s rest and the following morning returned home pledging to return again for what we hope will be an equally enjoyable music festival next year.
To view any of the above photos in full size, just click on it.
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