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Published on March 28, 2008

A leading local chain of music schools, KPN Music Academy, plans to open five more music schools in Bangkok and another 10 franchised outlets upcountry, due to a growing demand from school students to exercise their musical talents.

The company will open its latest music school in Siam Square today. Having cost Bt50 million, it is expected to attract 1,500 students this year and to reach break-even point within two years and eight months.

KPN Music Academy currently has 25 music schools. Twenty-three are franchised operations and the company itself owns only two - in Siam Square and Soi Thonglor, in Bangkok.

CEO Nop Narongdej said there were now 10 million school-age children in Thailand and about 300,000 of them were studying music. KPN has about 20,000 students.

"The market has tremendous opportunities," he said.

Both the number of KPN Music Academy's students and its revenue jumped 20 per cent last year, because music and sports have become the two major activities in the lifestyles of children and teenagers, he said. Moreover, the trend of the past two years, which has seen growing popularity of music, will continue.

Nop gave an example of two popular musical events - Academy Fantasia and the Hot Wave Music Awards - which are successful, accepted and recognised by children and teenagers.

"The investment in opening our new music academies will depend on location and space," he said.

A music school with floor space of 300 square metres will cost Bt7 million to Bt8 million, while a smaller version with only 100 square metres will cost about Bt2.5 million.

Each student pays about Bt2,600 a month to take a course, ranging from singing to playing a musical instrument and dancing.

"We target not only kids and teens, but also adults aged 30 and over," Nop said.

"We've seen great potential for adult customers, because they enjoy karaoke as part of their regular entertainment."

KPN Music Academy has also appointed a Chinese manufacturer to make KPN-brand pianos under an original-equipment manufacturing agreement. Its pianos are priced from Bt160,000 - 20-per-cent cheaper than rival brands.

The company expects to sell 200 pianos this year, many of them to its students who want to practice at home.

Chankit Trakoolwilai

The Nation