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Young Indonesian pianist Kasyfi Kalyasyena performs in front of Melania Trump
Kasyfi Kalyasyena was one of five winners of the 2019 VSA International Young Soloist Competition.
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Indonesian pianist and saxophonist Kasyfi Kalyasyena. (Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC/File)
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ndonesian pianist and saxophonist Kasyfi Kalyasyena performed in front of United States First Lady Melania Trump on Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
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The pianist, who was born in Garut, West Java, was one of five winners of the 2019 VSA International Young Soloist Competition initiated by the Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Kasyfi, who is visually impaired, was the only winner to come from outside the US.
Read also: Indonesian pianist among winners at Kennedy Center young soloists competition
Two days prior to his performance, Kasyfi and his parents visited the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, DC.
According to a statement received by The Jakarta Post, he played his piano arrangements for "Tik-tik Bunyi Hujan" (The Sounds of the Rain), "Apuse" and "How We Love" from The Lost Found album by Gretchen Parlato.
Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Mahendra Siregar said he had very much enjoyed Kasyfi’s performance and encouraged the young musician to create more music.
Meanwhile, Kasyfi said it had been a lifelong dream of his to be part of an international competition.
Having learned the piano from the tender age of 3, Kasyfi faced several challenges before joining the 2019 VSA International Young Soloist Competition.
But the challenges did not stop him from trying.
“He learned from judges’ evaluations [in similar competitions] to develop himself,” said his father, Patria Susantosa. (jes/kes)
