On a fine Friday evening, a family of musicians - who call themselves *Vienna Mozart Trio'- bedazzles a private audience of a hundred plus guests by playing classical tunes at the Grand Hyatt's Onfive venue in Jakarta.
Located on the fifth floor of Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Indonesia, Onfive appears to be an oasis of sorts that has conveniently parked itself in the midst of the metropolitan buzz.
"It's the perfect venue for a garden concert," says Erza S.T., event organizer and founder of the Indonesian Opera Society. "Because it exudes an intimate atmosphere."
And an intimate performance is exactly what the trio gives to their audience as they play haunting renditions of classical pieces originally composed by two world-renowned composers. The first piece is by Joseph Haydn, which is followed by another piece by Mozart - and as the music creeps into the night, the audience turns silent.
Somewhere in the middle of the crowd, the trio plays as if unwatched, their fingers moving deftly across the instruments, perhaps unaware of the magic they are creating.
Initiated in 1991, the Vienna Mozart Trio consists of three members of the Auner family: Diethard (cello), Irina (piano), and Daniel (violin). They've played in countless concert halls around the world, winning over both critics and audiences everywhere.
Originally, the group started out with a different partner, but in 1997, after having been through two other members, they recruited their son to play along as a third hand.
"I remember I had just finished swimming that day when I was offered the opportunity to play with my parents," says Daniel, who was born in 1987. "It was a little strange, but in a good way."
Though it is rare for a family to perform together in a trio, the Auners claim the fact they are a family is actually a good thing.
"When you play with strangers, you have to constantly read their next move," observes Daniel. "But when you play with your own family, you already know what the other is going to do before they think of doing it. You're automatically tuned in to the whole performance."
Irina agrees. A renowned pianist who had had the opportunity to study at the famous St. Petersburg Conservatory, she believes at the heart of a great performance is a bond that the players share with one another.
"When we practice, we don't have to warn each other of this and that," says Irina. "You just play, and everything will happen on its own. Music is like that, too. After the word is finished, comes music."
Before coming to Jakarta, the trio played at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok, performing at a gala concert in an event to commemorate the Haydn Anniversary. Their subsequent decision to play in Indonesia is owing to several sponsorships from, among others: the Embassy of Austria, Vin+, Etihad Airways and Grand Hyatt Indonesia.
"It took us dozens of emails to get the event going," says Diethard. "Because, for a while there, it was going to happen, and then it wasn't, and then it was."
Erza laughs at this. "It's a labor of love," he says. "Which I think is worth every effort we put into it."
The concert ends in under an hour, where the evening is capped off with Mozart's "Alla Turca", also known as the Turkish Rondo, which commands a quick, yet significant, marching tune, that easily transitions into a romantic prelude led - but not dominated - by Irina's sparkling performance.
"When we play together, there is no soloist," says Irina. "Everyone has the same role, but with different parts, and no one is better than another."
Daniel nods. "It's hard sometimes to step back from the spotlight," he says. "But it's a good thing to share the stage with others . ultimately, our performance is not about us, or the audience - it's about the music. We play for the music."
And the music is all that counts as the trio take their bows and receive a standing ovation from the guests.
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