As musicians, we have a duty to perform music and entertain guests. From the intense rhythm of the drums to the dynamic range of a singer, music is meant to cultivate community. Music is at the core of cultures and people. Music brings people together.

But what if, by chance, we were able to make a difference out of our hobby? Make a difference while doing something we enjoy? On a deeper note, there really are no cons to wanting to create change. We, the musicians, get to enjoy playing our songs while the audience gets to enjoy a live performance in which they can engage in. Let’s make this a reality.

The Chom Dong Garden Concert Event is a special event that is hosted at the Chom Dong Villa in Hua Hin. Guests enjoy a variety of shows by a myriad of bands—one of which I had the fortunate opportunity to perform alongside with two other bands. The event was filled with a very relaxed and laid-back atmosphere, as both the guests, hosts, and performers alike enjoyed their time.

The caveat, however, is that in order to attend the event, guests must pay for a ticket. All proceeds that are raised from the event are donated to Siriraj Hospital.

As a musician, this concert definitely provided me with much-needed experience. However, the heart of doing the concert was always knowing where the proceeds were going to go. As a band, we collectively agreed that we were going to do this concert because we knew it would go to a good cause—a cause far more heroic than anything else we could accomplish by ourselves.

Donating the funds in person gave us an opportunity to really get to know where the funds were going. In our case, this meant members of the performing bands got to have a discussion with the dean (Dr. Apichat Asavamongkolkul) of Siriraj Hospital. The dean gave us insight into where the funds were going, which only garnered more and more admiration and respect from myself and my bandmates.

He revealed that the funds were going to be donated to the Cancer Department—a major department that currently operates at a loss. Our support, he said, will be able to pay for new instruments and, more importantly, for patients who cannot afford certain expenses.