Helmed by conductor Avip Priatna, The Resonanz Music Studio has returned with its yearly Simfoni Untuk Bangsa (Symphony for the Nation) concert series, paying tribute to the work of Indonesian artists.

The ninth edition of Simfoni Untuk Bangsa was held on Aug. 11 at the Jakarta Theater of Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta.

Avip, who is also the director of The Resonanz Music Studio, said the 2018 concert was themed “By Indonesian Children, For Indonesian Children”.

“This concert is meant to show appreciation for the works of the people, as well as respecting our children’s right to [hear] songs that are appropriate for them,” Avip said in a statement.

The Simfoni Untuk Bangsa concert showcased cultural diversity through regional children’s songs, such as “Karaban Sape” from Madura Island in East Java, “Badminton” from West Java and “Ampar-ampar Pisang” from South Kalimantan, as well as “Ular Naga”, a popular schoolyard game.

The choir’s performance of “Ular Naga” even included the children going through the motions of the game — a sight that may likely have prompted nostalgia among many of the older members of the audience, amid the current age of smartphones and game consoles.

An ode to the Indonesian education system was presented through song choices like “Pergi Belajar” (Going to Study), “Kembali ke Sekolah” (Back to School), “Terima Kasihku (Guruku)” (Thank You, My Teacher), “Aku Bisa” (I Can) and “Lihatlah Lebih Dekat” (Look Closer).

Meanwhile, the uniquely Indonesian experience of growing up is represented through “Pemuda” (Youngster), “Bunda (Mother”), “Bunda Piara” (Mother’s Love), “Yang Terbaik Bagimu” (The Best for You), “Masa Kecilku” (My Childhood) and Suara Hati (What the Heart Says).

Tenor Farman Purnama and soprano Jessica Januar headlined the concert, with young musicians such as Sean N. Alexander on the clarinet and Nasya Lilananda on the violin.

The concert also gave a nod to the Indonesian martial art of pencak silat, through a demonstration by West Java’s Persinas Asad team.

Simfoni Untuk Bangsa 2018 featured the Jakarta Concert Orchestra, conducted by Avip himself, and two choirs: the Batavia Madrigal Singers and The Resonanz Children’s Choir in colorful, traditional attire.

The Resonanz Children’s Choir was named the winner in April’s European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (EPG Choral) in Maribor, Slovenia — an addition to their many accolades.

In Slovenia, the 44-member children’s choir went up against several championship winners in presenting seven songs, which included classical pieces such as Lee R. Kesselman’s “Ad Amore” and Robert Schumann’s “Der Wassermann”, as well as Indonesian pieces like the traditional Balinese song “Janger” by Agustinus Bambang Jusana.

— Photos courtesy of ImageDynamics

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