It's a small, small world after all

Harry Nazarudin ,  Contributor, Jakarta   |  Sat, 06/28/2008 11:55 AM  |  Entertainment

Es lilin mah ceuceu dikalapaan, raosna mah geuningan kabina-bina, abdi alim dunungan paduduaan, sok sieun mah dibantun kamana-mana.... (The ice cream is, my lady, made with coconut/The taste is so good, extraordinary/I do not want to be alone, my master, just the two of us/I'm afraid you'll take me to places I don't want to go....)

"Es Lilin", a traditional Sundanese song, tells a story of forbidden love between an ice-cream seller (es lilin is a kind of ice cream) and her wealthy customer.

The song was among those performed by Indonesia Children's Choir (PSAI) Cordana last Saturday in the Usmar Ismail Hall, South Jakarta.

The song was arranged in a Capella style, starting with "ting-tang" vocals that resemble the ring of gamelan. All the singers were dressed in red-green kebaya-style dresses.

At the beginning, they moved in slow motion, following the lingering, dreamy melody of the song. Then suddenly the tempo quickened, ushering in an energetic and beautifully-choreographed dance that seemed to derive from the tari topeng mask dance from Betawi and the jaipong Sundanese social dance.

It was a great performance: perfect synchronization, beautiful visual arrangement and a wonderful choral performance. The audience was stunned. It's hard to imagine that most of the performers were between nine and 15 years old.

After the Sundanese, the Acehnese had their to show off their cultural masterpiece: the Rampai Aceh synchronized dance. This is one of the most difficult dance and vocal performances, where a leading female singer controls and synchronizes the rapid movement of the dance with her singing.

The dancers sit shoulder to shoulder on the floor, dressed in colorful Acehnese traditional costumes. They then alternate positions, creating an astounding visual effect. The thrill effect is enhanced as the dance increases in speed.

The increased tempo has all the more effect because the audience has up until then been absorbed into a trance-like state by the dance's previously slow hypnotic movements.

The rapid movement is accompanied by powerful, rhythmic chanting and singing -- a prerequisite in every Rampai Aceh dance. To the children who must have practiced very hard for this performance, I say two thumbs up.

Dancing is not the only strength of PSAI. There's another important element: singing. This is shown especially when Aida Swenson, the proud founder and conductor of PSAI, called upon her father, Alfred Simanjuntak, to come on stage and conduct two songs: "Tuhan Engkau Mengenalku" (Lord You Know Me Best) and "Unite O Children of the World", both written by himself.

Alfred Simanjuntak is one of Indonesia's legendary composers, the one who brought us "Bangun Pemudi Pemuda" (Stand Young Women and Men) -- a traditional Indonesian song -- in 1943.

The 87-year-old approached the stage slowly, weakened by age, but as soon as he lifted his arm and the choir started to sing, he appeared young and graceful. He carefully guided the choir, who performed to their best ability in respect of the great composer.

The synchronization was perfect, the voice quality crystal clear. It was a touching song that spoke of introspection in the face of the Almighty. The audience was stunned once again, in awe of the great composer.

Despite all the greatness, the concert was still a down-to-earth children's concert. It featured children's songs, including "Dunia Anak" (Children's World) and "Pick a Bale of Cotton". The children were just simply adorable -- some may have been too young to sing, but nonetheless now have their first experience of being center stage.

Dance performances accompanying songs, including "Chase Your Blues Away" and "Oh Susanna", were cheered by the audience.

PSAI's standard for vocal quality is very high. Almost all of the melodies were sung to perfection, and control of tempo was also good for the most part.

The concert also featured a special tribute to future Indonesian soloists. Nine-year-old Ratna Kanya Annisa, for example, came on stage in a pink dress and mesmerized the audience with her angelic rendition of "Tomorrow" from the musical "Annie".

Bramantya Dwipramadya came on stage right after her, sporting the strut of a professional tenor. He showed off his talent by singing "O Sole Mio", a traditional Italian song. Many children performed songs in many languages, demonstrating their commitment to the performance by never using textual aids.

Overall, it was very enjoyable to watch the youngsters perform. It is somewhat soothing that amid the educational and security problems that are threatening our younger generation, there are still a good number of people who continue to incite an appreciation for music in children of an early age.

Their performances were also something to be proud of, and it is no wonder the committee for the 8th World Symposium on Choral Music in Denmark has invited PSAI to represent Indonesia from July 19 to 26 this year.

If they perform "Es Lilin" and Rampai Aceh in Denmark, they will show a side of Indonesia that is rarely revealed to the international world: that of rich cultural heritage, tolerance, and musical appreciation.

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