Kanupriya Kapoor, Contributor, Jakarta
The Nusantara Symphony Orchestra (NSO) performed an impressive repertoire of Bach, Beethoven, Haydn and Vivaldi on the evening of July 5 to raise money for their musicians who lost their homes in the Yogyakarta earthquake nearly a month and a half ago.
After a heart-felt speech delivered by NSO chairperson Miranda S. Goeltom about the victims of the earthquake and the aim of the concert, the performance started off with principal conductor Edward Van Ness playing lead violin while conducting Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Violins and Strings in Amajor.
Accompanied by Agus Murtono on second lead violin, Van Ness led the orchestra to an enrapturing opening, although there were frequent lapses in rhythm on the part of the first violins.
""We left the Broadway style in 2004, and in the past year (we) have gradually moved onto more difficult pieces,"" explained Aida Swenson, the volunteer executive director of the NSO. This includes the orchestra adding most of the Romantic composers to its repertoire, as well as Baroque and Classical styles.
According to Aida, there has been a positive reaction from the NSO's mostly middle- to upper-class audience toward this change in style.
""They (the audiences) enjoy and learn about the repertoire,"" says Aida, who is a vocalist and conductor herself, ""and the orchestra has come a long way since (this development).""
While the technique and discipline of the orchestra members have improved immensely -- especially under the strict training of Japanese principal conductor Hikotaro Yazaki, who also introduced compulsory auditioning to become an orchestra member -- it is the ""poor quality of the instruments"" that hinders their drive for excellence.
""We are a purely private initiative, and a small one at that,"" said Miranda, who is also a deputy governor of Bank Indonesia.
""(We) perform regularly to attract sponsors and the surpluses from these performances are used to finance efforts to improve quality,"" she said.
The NSO is contemplating giving out loans or acquiring top quality instruments and lending these out to its players, Miranda explained, although ""not to everybody ... we choose those most instrumental to the sound of the orchestra and provide (them with) facilities"".
After a symphony by Haydn, two talented and celebrated senior pianists, Charlotte Panggabean and Latifah Kodijat Marzoeki, took the stage and delivered a harmonious and mesmerizing performance of J.S. Bach's Concerto for Two Harpsichords in C Minor adapted to pianos, during which the bass section stepped up and provided a solid foundation for the two pianists and the rest of the orchestra.
In an effort to bring the NSO to larger audiences, it has toured to Melbourne and is now eyeing Europe as its next destination.
It also invites foreign musicians frequently. In fact, more than half the performances in the past year have featured foreign guest players because, as Miranda believes, ""by exposing (them to foreign musicians), our players can learn about technique, ethics and attitude.""
In addition, the orchestra sends some of its players to conservatories in the Netherlands, Hungary and the United States.
After doing justice to Beethoven's 1st Symphony by delivering it in a thunderous, emotional and brilliant manner that earned the musicians a standing ovation, the orchestra sprang a surprise on the audience and played Indonesia Pusaka, a composition arranged by Van Ness.
The piece started off with impressionistic, Debussy-like sounds and unfolded into a beautiful flute solo that was supported by the melancholic notes of a single cello.
This closing received another long standing ovation, after which the NSO presented the proceeds from the concert to viola player Ganif, on behalf of the NSO's Yogya members.
The players who lost their homes and instruments in the quake spoke of the initial shock they experienced.
""We gradually accepted the facts and the NSO has given us hope to go on,"" said Ganif, and related how Miranda had visited the players' ruined homes in Yogyakarta within a day of the quake. ""As busy as she is, we were touched and overwhelmed by her visit.""
The gesture also underlines Aida's remark about building an NSO family that is ""sensitive and supportive, which makes the music more musical...this is one of the best achievements (for an orchestra) besides skill"".
While the NSO may be lacking in good instruments, performances like the one this Wednesday are certainly not short of talent, young nor old.
