Close Window

Somboon Gavichai

The artistry of Somboon Gavichai has been featured in various periodicals and in Keepers of the Arts, a beautiful hardcover book available through Novica.

"I became interested in northern Thai musical instruments when I was very young. One day on the radio I heard a very old, unusual song. I thought, 'what a strange style!' But it was beautiful. I asked my grandfather about it, and he explained that it was a local band playing traditional Lanna northern-Thai music, using a variety of ancient instruments, including a sueng and sa-lor. I wanted to learn, so I began listening to old tapes that I purchased from market vendors. I also learned that the older musicians wouldn't teach us to play traditional instruments. In the Lanna cultural tradition, musicians didn’t teach each other to play. Musicianship was considered a test. A musician proved his dedication to the art form by figuring everything out on his own. Also, music was traditionally used to win the heart of the woman you loved. Since it was so hard to learn how to play, a good musician was considered to be a patient person – an important quality in the eyes of potential in-laws.

"But with some help from my uncle Khum, who is a local master musician, and with a lot of experimentation on my own, I began to play the sueng. I practiced everyday, following my uncle's strict advice. I played the sueng so often that I eventually damaged it and I had to learn to fix it myself. One day, after having repaired my sueng over and over, I decided to try and make a new one. I was 15 years old then, and that was when I started to make musical instruments. I made about 30 before reaching the sound, tonality and weight that I sought. At that point, I began to sell my instruments to other musicians, and now many young people have become interested in reviving our ancient music. I also helped found a traditional-style performance group, Lai Muang, which is now becoming quite popular in Thailand."