Secondary Music School helps grow high-school students' passions to the fullest

By Siena Gee '26, Loomis Chaffee

Purcell School.

Around the world, there are students who devote a lot of time and energy to their passion, whether it is sports, drawing, or music. In this spotlight article, you will be introduced to a young flutist attending the Purcell School for Young Musicians in Hertfordshire, England as a part of the Class of 2025. He attended St. Andrews International School in Bangkok, Robert E. Bell Middle School in Chappaqua New York, The International School of Bangkok in Thailand, and currently, the Purcell School.

Suanoi Sophonpanich from Thailand has played the flute for 5 years, starting in elementary school as most students do. “My love just grew from that moment onwards and I’ve never regretted it.” Says Suanoi. Only after a year after beginning to play the flute as a 10-year-old, he started private lessons to pursue his newfound passion. At Purcell, he has played as principal flute, or section leader while performing the Dvorak 9 with the school, as well as the first movement of the Mercadante Flute concerto. Suanoi participates and leads in many concerts held at the school, “All the concerts I’ve done at my school have been incredibly special.” As for his personal development, he is working on a few projects such as discovering the flute, clarinet, and piano repertoire, solo pieces, and potentially starting his own quintet. This summer, he was able to hold his own recital at the Sala Sudasiri Sobha, a family-owned concert hall in Bangkok. He says he has “plan(s) to be playing there again next year as well as other concert venues.”

When asked about what allows him to maintain his passion for the flute, he says that “There’s nothing quite like the feeling of un-interrupted connection between yourself, the audience, the instrument, and whoever you are playing with.” Rather than just enjoying the music on the surface level, he focuses on the sounds and emotions that can be translated from words to notes that are then communicated to the audience and other listeners. After graduation, “I see myself being a free-lancer, doing orchestral auditions, and solo and chamber recitals. Though, the music scene is always changing and what I think about know might be different in five years.” Says Suanoi.

To other young musicians who are considering pursuing music, he believes that you should “Do what you want and only what you want. Music is a difficult and unconventional career path which is not able to be pursued without a profound love for it. But, at the same time, music is such soul-enriching thing and you will always find benefit in learning it even if that’s not the career path that you eventually pursue.” So even if you are not pursuing music professionally, just learning how to play an instrument can enrich your life further in many ways.