KOMPONG SPEU – Keat Sokim is one of the most enterprising musicians of his generation of chapei players. Formerly working with Cambodian Living Arts, he has done much research on the instrument and travelled to the remoter areas of Cambodia in search of the old masters.

The chapei is a long-necked plucked lute with only two functioning strings. It is often accompanied by improvised singing. Sokim has also started his own school, Salapleng Mith Dontrey (Friend Music School), specialising in the teaching of traditional music.

There are several branches and he arranges online classes too. One day, he received a message from 15-year-old Born Sophana in Kompong Speu enquiring about online lessons in Chapei.

Sokim wasn’t sure if he could teach this boy, because usually at least six months’ basic study of traditional music is required beforehand.

But Sophana sent a video of himself playing his hand-made chapei, and Sokim was impressed. When Sophana became interested in chapei, he checked the internet to find out how it looked and sounded.

He then made his own instrument and learned to play it from YouTube.

He also made a tro (Cambodian fiddle), but he is most enthusiastic about chapei. Sophana can play at least three different styles of chapei music which he has learned by ear. He is also one of the top students in his class.

Sokim offered him free chapei lessons on condition that he keeps studying hard at school. Sophana’s father is a construction worker and his mother is a farmer.

His grandfather played chapei, but not well. Sophana’s family are proud of him. The headmaster and teachers at his school, Ang Lumtorng Secondary School, are also supportive.

Sophana has made three chapeis by hand. Sokim asked him to make five, but the headmaster told him to make ten. He makes the soundboxes from empty yellow plastic jerry cans for detergent.

Why yellow? That’s the colour of the brand his mum uses. It’s called Sunlight.

For the wooden neck of the instrument, he recycled part of an old school desk. It worked perfectly except that the strings were a little high on the bridge, making it difficult to put pressure on the lower frets.

The desk was in a now shuttered computer lab until recently operated by USAID. Now it will become the new chapei music room.

Sophana’s instrument is smaller than a regular chapei but it has a big sound, even though the soundbox is not metal.

When Sokim demonstrated it, he had some difficulty with the strings. The touch was too soft but Sophana could play it with ease. The plan is for Sokim to teach Sophana online for free.

He presented Sophana with a full-size chapei complete with carrying case. The son of the late Kong Nay, one of the great chapei masters, will teach him how to sing in the Chapei Dang Veng style, and this tuition cost will be covered by Friend Music School.

In turn, Sophana will teach other children how to play the chapei, so he will be the youngest chapei teacher in Cambodia. He has already started teaching his younger friend.