Pathorn Srikaranonda

The award-winning saxophonist and composer, Associate Professor Doctor Pathorn Srikaranonda, ComM, has performed music in more than thirty countries around the world, ranging from classical performances with orchestras in concert halls to music festivals, to intimate settings of jazz clubs. He is considered the champion of the music of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and was a prominent member of the late King’s Au-Sau Friday Band for more than three decades.

His notable performances include: Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s Royal Command Performance at Bang Pa-in Palace, Ayuthaya featuring his composition Weeping Rain… Falling Leaves (1998); The 140th Anniversary of the Thai-German Friendship Concert, Bangkok, featuring his composition The Piano Quintet (1998); The International Lyra Music Festival, Budapest, Hungary, featuring his composition Portrait of Siam (1999); The “Concert Royal” performance with l’Orchestre National de Lille at the Opéra Comique in Paris, France (1999); The Manrat Jazz Quintet at Paris City Hall, France (1999); Thailand-Portugal Celebration Concert, featuring his composition E se mais mundo houvera, lá chegara… for Baritone and Orchestra (2006); The Royal Jazz Celebration, a year-long program celebrating King Bhumibol’s 84th Birthday, with HRH Princess Sirindhorn & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band of New Orleans (2010); The Thailand-Portugal Quincentenary Celebration, Bangkok (2011); The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (2011); The Snake City Jazz Festival, Slangerup, Denmark (2011, 2016, 2017, 2018); The Royal Command performance for HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark in Copenhagen, featuring his jazz suite En Elephantine Ballad (2012); The Royal Festivals at the Hall of State in the Royal Palace of Stockholm, Sweden (2013); The International Association of Schools of Jazz Meeting, Lisboa, Portugal (2015); XV Music Theory Conference, Vilnius, Lithuania (2015); The 70th Anniversary Concert of the Dutch Swing College Band in the Hague, the Netherlands (2015); Art-Music Cocreation Concert, Houston, Texas (2017); The French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana (2017); Maputo International Jazz Festival, Mozambique (2017); The Royal Memorial Concert with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra of London, UK, featuring his composition In Memoriam for the late King Bhumibol (2017); The Astana Day Celebration, Astana, Kazakhstan (2019).

His performances in 2022-23 season include: A month-long “Ministry of Jazz” concert tour in the Netherlands with the Dutch Swing College Band;  Fai Bei Souni Festival at the Museum of Saxophone in Fiumicino, Italy with his Italian Quartet; The 125th Anniversary of Thai-Russian friendship celebration in Moscow, Russia; Floriade Expo in Almere, the Netherlands with the Amsterdam Jazz Trio; His fifth appearance at the Snake City Jazz Festival in Slangerup, Denmark with his New Orleans jazz band, the Kitasewi; The Royal Command performance for HM King Norodom Sihamoni and HM the Queen Mother of Cambodia, featuring his jazz interpretation of the Royal Compositions of HM King Father Norodom Sihanouk, at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Chiang Mai Street Jazz Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand; Triumph Jazz Festival in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia; A saxophone recital at Albergue da Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Macau, China; The 2023 International Saxophone Meeting at the Museum of Saxophone in Fiumicino, Italy; A chamber recital at MaRSMMuCK Contemporary Music Center in Paris  France; And at the Henri Selmer Paris Concert in the XIX World Saxophone Congress in Gran Canaria, Spain, solo with the Ensemble de Saxophones de Versailles of France, the world-premiere of his new composition, Sarahmā tāng Fáhrang, for jazz saxophone and saxophone ensemble.

Srikaranonda began his 2024 with a performance with his quartet at the Royal Government House for the President of Germany on his official state visit to Thailand. Then in February, he joined the Biggles Big Band Amsterdam at the Surin International Jazz Festival in Surin, Thailand and during their Cambodia Tour in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. In April-May, he made his successful New Orleans performances, joining his American colleagues at Mahogany Jazz Hall, Palm Court, and the Preservation Hall. He had his second appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Louisiana where he performed with Joe Lastie’s New Orleans Sound and was featured in Players Ella & Louie Tribute Band. In July-August, he was invited as a distinguished artist to the 3rd Asian Saxophone Congress, held in Dalian, PRC.

Srikaranonda received many awards such as Best jazz Improvisation from Collegiate Jazz festival in South Bend, Indiana, Best Jazz Performance from Tri C Jazz Festival in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Lyra Prize from the Foundation for Hungarian Performance Art. He was honored with the Certificates of Commendation from the City of Los Angeles in 2003, from the Prime Minister of Thailand in 2005 and 2007, and from the House of Senate of Thailand in 2011. He was appointed Commander of the Order of Merit by the President of Portugal in 2011, Companion of the Order of the White Elephant in 2012 and Commander of the Order of the Crown of Thailand in 2020.

Srikaranonda is an associate professor of saxophone and composition at Kasetsart University in Bangkok and is the Founding President of the Saxophone Association Thailand.

 Photo credit: Christopher Wadsworth