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Avip Priatna: Between the notes
Avip Priatna chased his dream to become an architect only to find out music was his destiny
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Avip Priatna chased his dream to become an architect only to find out music was his destiny.
Known as one of the most acclaimed Indonesian music conductors today, Avip changed his life plan while he was studying architecture at Parahyangan Catholic University in Bandung, West Java. At that time, as a member of the university choir who had been in many competitions, Avip realized the country was blessed with many talented individuals — but few had received any recognition.
“To become a conductor wasn’t actually my goal or anything — all I wanted was to capture the talent of these individuals through music and provide them with a place to grow,” says the 46-year-old founder of the Jakarta Chamber Orchestra and Batavia Madrigal Singers choir. “So, I told myself: OK, I have to do something; I have to leave [the country] to study music and return to Indonesia to develop the music scene.”
JP/Dian Kuswandini
In the late 1980s, Avip packed his suitcase for Austria to study choral and orchestral conducting at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, under a scholarship from the Austrian Government and the Rotary Club. Luckily, his parents supported his bold career change.
“My parents didn’t actually agree with [the idea of] pursuing a formal education in music because music education in Indonesia — at that time — wasn’t that good,” says Avip, who learned to play piano at the age of nine and further honed his talent with respected musical figures like Rosaline Tambunan, Oerip Santoso, and Trisutji Kamal. “But because I had already completed my degree in architecture and I was heading to Austria to study, my parents were like, ‘OK, it’s up to you now.’
“So, I fought for my dream [to study music], and worked hard [to get the scholarship to Austria].”
For Avip, the sound of magical music will always linger in people’s minds — and that’s how he feels about orchestra performances he chose to dedicate his life to.
“I am particularly fond of orchestra performances because unlike solo performances, they emphazise the unity of harmonious melodies,” says Avip. “I found my passion in conducting an orchestra after realizing I loved the feeling of being connected to this kind of musical unity.”
In 1995, after six years of studying choral and orchestral conducting with famous conductors like Günther Theuring and Leopold Hager, Avip enrolled in a master’s in choir conducting with a scholarship from Parahyangan Catholic University. Before returning to Indonesia, Avip was lucky enough to become the assistant of the Vienna Youth Choir, a member of the Wiener Singverein — a choir founded in 1858 in Vienna by the Society of Music Friends — and the Wiener Hochschule Kammerchor.
“When I returned to Indonesia in 1999, several orchestras had already been established like the Twilite Orchestra — but they play more popular music,” Avip recalls. “My dream was to establish an orchestra with a [Western] classical repertoire, so I founded the Jakarta Chamber.”
When he established the Jakarta Chamber Orchestra (JCO) with academician Toety Heraty in 2002, Avip’s mission was to bring the orchestral tradition closer to the public, while at the same time providing a place for talented musicians to grow. Today, along with the Batavia Madrigal Singers choir Avip established in 1996, the ensemble has become the pride of Jakarta.
“I always tell people that orchestral music is more than entertainment — it’s educational,” says Avip, who was appointed as a judge for several international orchestra competitions. “Orchestral music is all about discipline, commitment and focus. You can learn a lot from watching an orchestra perform.”
Bringing the orchestral tradition in the limelight has never been an easy task for Avip — given Western classical music isn’t popular in Indonesia. Realizing this, Avip, who at first was determined to stick to classical repertoires, finally decided to loosen up a bit and find ways to carry out his vision.
“Well, I realized our society wasn’t ready yet for some serious music, I had to be [a little more] realistic,” confesses Avip. “So, I decided to mix serious performances with not so serious ones.
“It’s [what I call] the art of making a performance more attractive [to the masses]. I just want [orchestra music] to be accepted by the public first.”
Although he acknowledges there is still a long way to go before conductors like him bring the culture of orchestra to a new height in a country like Indonesia, Avip believes progress is underway.
“Actually, Indonesians, by nature, love music. So, there’s still room for development,” says Avip.
“You’ve probably noticed that the number of orchestra performances nowadays has increased, compared to the 1980s.
“The public can now choose what orchestra performance to watch each month… Even I have to admit that we, ensemble groups, now have to compete to win audiences,” he laughs.
