The Application of Thai Classical Fiddle Techniques for Cello

While non-Western cultural influences have become increasingly more prominent in contemporary cello compositions, Thai classical fiddles—saw duang, saw u, and saw sam sai—which are integral to Thai music tradition, have yet to be fully explored or incorporated into cello works. The complexity of the Thai pitch system, diverse performance practices, and the reliance on oral tradition, which limits written resources, pose challenges to integrating Thai fiddle elements into cross-cultural compositions. This research examines Thai classical fiddle techniques through a bi-musical approach. Among the diverse practices, the Vorayot Seventeen-Microtone Theory, developed by esteemed fiddle Master Vorayot Suksaichon, offers a practical framework to Thai pitch system as well as the intonation practices unique to Thai non-fixed pitch instruments and vocalists. Beyond pitch, a defining characteristic of the Thai fiddle is the use of ornaments, including Thai trill and the pitch slide, which are systematically integrated into the pitch system. This research incorporates Thai fiddle techniques into solo cello arrangements of traditional Thai works, including Khabmai, Rabam Sukhothai, Phama Plaeng, and Batsakuni. While adhering to the core principles of Thai pitch and ornaments of the fiddle practice, these works are reinterpreted using varied registers, alternative key areas, and time signatures to fully maximize the cello’s capabilities. The study reveals the potential to expand cello literature and techniques through Thai classical fiddle practice, while introducing Thai music to wider audiences with new sonic experiences.