Exceptional People: Meet Tommy Sopolpong

Tommy Sopolpong has been teaching percussion at Shrewsbury Riverside since 2010, and in her 14 years at the school, she has taught Junior and Senior Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble and Orchestra, as well as private percussion and drums lessons. Teaching was not easy at first for Tommy, but once she got adjusted to it, she discovered a deep appreciation for the job. 

“Once I taught them, they made me unable to leave them. I would say students are now teaching me every day to be a good teacher,” Tommy said.

Tommy began playing music at 13 years old, and she specialises in playing all percussion instruments - both Western and Thai. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a doctor - not a musician. Once she realised the immense pressures of being a student in the medical field, it was not difficult for the beautiful sounds of music she heard to sway her course. 

Tommy began teaching percussion in 2004 when she became a teaching assistant for the Satri Wat Rakhang Marching Band, and soon after, assistant conductor. In the years since, Tommy has taught at different schools across Bangkok and played in numerous professional ensembles, bands and orchestras. Throughout her career, she has recorded an abundance of music across various genres and won countless awards for her talents. 

Tommy’s educational and professional background in music is quite extensive. In 2008, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Percussion Performance from the College of Music at Mahidol University, where she also earned her Master of Arts in Percussion Performance two years later. In September of last year, Tommy finished her Doctor of Fine Arts Lecture Recital, and she will be awarded her Doctor of Fine Arts in Music from Bunditpatasilapa Institute of Fine Arts, Ministry of Culture at a graduation ceremony later this year. 

Tommy’s range of experience also includes lecturing, performing and the reception of numerous awards. She has performed as a soloist, participated in numerous ensembles and chamber music, and gained extensive experience in recording. In 2005, Tommy was awarded the Gold Medal in Star Division Corps Style, as well as the Silver Medal. She also received several educational scholarships, including the Percussive Arts Society International Scholarship (2006), the That Beverage Company’s “Thai Talent” Scholarship (2007) and the Best Performance Student Mahidol Scholarship (2006-2007). 

Over the years, she has received numerous national and international accolades for her teaching, including the Professionalism and Skills of Teaching Drum (2013-2017) and Trinity Awards Thailand for Excellence in Music Teaching (2017, 2021). The Trinity Awards were bestowed upon Tommy as a result of her students’ successes, as they have ranked within the Top 3 highest scores in Thailand each year since 2014. The award symbolises not only Tommy’s teaching capabilities, but the outstanding success of her students as well. 

Tommy brings an impressive range of talent, leadership and experience to Shrewsbury Riverside Campus’s music department, inspiring students of all ages to hone their talent and follow their passion. She feels that the best way to set them up for success in the music industry is to build a good environment for them to grow in.

“Let them be in a good music society, to see, to hear and to perform as much as possible,” Tommy said. “I believe that children are like the environment in which they live.”

Whether in the classroom or on the stage, she focuses on maintaining a professional and encouraging environment for students to learn in, ensuring that their love for playing instruments grows stronger throughout the years. Tommy’s approach to music education is unparalleled in its care and focus, and here at Shrewsbury Riverside, it makes all the difference.