Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Jakarta Conservatory of Music (JCoM) is launching a music festival, JCoM Fest, from July 23 through Aug. 12 at the conservatory, Erasmus Huis and Goethe Haus in Jakarta.
The first collaborative concert under the Jakarta Conservatory of Music's sponsorship, JCoM Fest aims to present the leading musicians and artists of Indonesia, introducing the latest national and international compositions, as well as opening opportunities for interdisciplinary fusions between music and the other arts like dancing, literature, photography and film.
The festival will stage Indonesia's first-rate classical musicians and U.S. pianist and composer Jeffrey Jacob as its international guest star.
The nation's best comprises pianists Ananda Sukarlan, Iswargia R. Sudarno, Adelaide S. Simanjuntak and Ruth Wibisono; vocalists Rainier Revireino and Binu D. Sukaman; and guitarist Sudirman Leman.
In addition, the event will also witness the performance of promising young talents from master classes and other training programs at the conservatory: Bernadeta Astari, Elwin Hendrianto and Inge Buniardi, now studying at the Utrecht and Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam. Bernadeta, a young soprano, has recently won the Princess Christina competition in the Netherlands.
The great classical pieces to be featured during the festival are diverse, ranging from the works of prominent contemporary composers like David del Puerto, Gareth Farr, Nancy van de Vate and Santiago Lanchares, to master composers such as Brahms, Chopin and Mozart.
A collaborative masterpiece by two Indonesian outstanding artists, senior poet Sapardi Djoko Damono and acclaimed pianist Ananda Sukarlan, will be a major program of the festival. This creative fusion, inspired by Sapardi's poetry, was especially designed and composed by Ananda to become a poetic musical work, including some of their pieces in Ars Amatoria, which will be premiered in the upcoming Jakarta New Year Concert 2008.
Ananda will also premiere his compositions based on the poems of Goenawan Mohamad and Chendra Panatan.
Sapardi is a professor with the School of Cultural Studies at the University of Indonesia, and one of the country's leading bards. A close peer of Goenawan, Sapardi is famous for his lyrical works.
Among Sapardi's poetry collections are Sihir Hujan (Rain magic, 1984), Perahu Kertas, Mata Pisau (Paper boats, knife blades, 1974), Akuarium (Aquarium, 1974) and Dukamu Abadi (Your unending sorrow, 1969).
In the '70s, he translated a variety of foreign literature, including The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway), Daisy Manis (Sweet Daisy, Henry James) and Lirik Klasik Parsi (Classical Lyrics of Persia). His perahu Kertas won the Jakarta Art Council's award in 1983. Observers describe his verses as being close to God and death.
Ananda has performed in several different countries. Obtaining his Masters and graduating summa cum laude from the Royal Conservatory's Piano School in The Hague, Ananda's career became even more lustrous in 1988, when he won the Eduard Elipse Award in the Netherlands' National Music Competition.
In 1993, Ananda again proved himself as a superb pianist in the Nadia Boulanger Prize contest, followed by performances at prestigious concert halls in Europe. The honors he later earned in France, Spain and the Netherlands further enhanced his position among the world's eminent pianists.
Ananda is the only Indonesian musician recorded in The International Who's Who in Music and 2,000 Outstanding Musicians of the 20th Century.
JCoM Fest: Key programs
July 23
Informal Talk with Sapardi Djoko Damono and Ananda Sukarlan at Jakarta Conservatory of Music
July 28
Watch Out 4 Tomorrow opening concert at Goethe Haus, presenting Bernadeta Astari and Elwin Hendiyanto
Aug. 1
The Art of Jeffrey Jacob at Erasmus Huis
Aug. 5
License to Thrill and 3 in 1 at Goethe Haus, presenting Binu D. Sukaman, Adelaide Simbolon and Iswargia R. Sudarno
Aug. 8
Launch of Tembang Puitik Indonesia (Indonesia's poetic songs) CD at Erasmus Huis, presenting Binu D. Sukaman and Ananda Sukarlan
Aug. 12
Generations and The Maestros closing concerts at Erasmus Huis, presenting Inge Melania Buniardi, Ananda Sukarlan, Sudirman Leman and Rainier Revireino
For detailed information, contact the Jakarta Conservatory of Music, Jl. Cipete IV No. 8, South Jakarta, or call Chendra Panatan at 0818891038 or Ruth Wibisono at 0811171576.
