But all Windy has ever wanted to do is preserve and promote traditional Indonesian music.

This determination, in part, renders her a singular presence. Her antiestablishment appearance – an odd combination of sarong, oversized old T-shirt, flip-flops and big shades – seems like a deliberate push at her comfortable upbringing. When asked about her eccentricity, Windy commented nonchalantly: “I’m an artist and I can express myself in any way I want.”

Fair enough. The girl’s not interested in fashion. But talk to her about music and you will get her undivided attention. In fact, there’s an instinctive integrity in her words when discussing music.

Since returning from the United States in August, Windy, who graduated in 2007 with a degree in music production and engineering, has worked on laudable gigs at home.

She was involved in the music for the 2011 SEA Games opening ceremony, as well as a fashion show at Jakarta Fashion Week 2012. She also worked with the local music industry’s heavyweights such as Piyu (the guitarist of popular band Padi), Sister Duke and, more recently, rising star Raisa.

“I’m very blessed to have the opportunity to work with the country’s top musicians. But I am sad that I haven’t played any traditional instruments since I arrived here. Maybe I just haven’t met those who share a similar passion for traditional music in Jakarta,” she said.

In Indonesia, she observed, the industry gravitates toward mainstream music. The market, she added, is caught up with both locally and internationally produced pop music.

Windy maintains that she too enjoys mainstream music. But the fact that there’s been little to no attention given to traditional Indonesian music saddens her.

Eight years ago, as with many Indonesians, Windy knew nothing about traditional musical instruments like gamelan and angklung. But a chance encounter with a group of non-Indonesians that performed at an Indonesian cultural night at Berklee in Boston prompted her to master the instruments.    

“It took a group of foreigners playing Balinese gamelan – at an American university, no less – to make me realize the beauty of traditional Indonesian music. As an Indonesian, it was a big slap in the face,” said Windy, who was a first-year music student then.

The group in question was Gamelan Galak Tika, a large percussion orchestra that consists of gongs, metallophones, hand drums with cymbals, vocals, bamboo lutes and spiked fiddles.

Founded by Evan Ziporyn in 1993, the group is a community ensemble in residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that studies and performs Balinese music and dance.

Windy joined the group in 2004, and it didn’t take her long before she got the hang of gamelan – all thanks to her solid musical background. Windy, who had already mastered guitar, piano and violin prior to joining the group, has dedicated her time and effort to promoting Indonesian music since then.

Months later, she found herself performing with the group at Carnegie Hall, one of the most prestigious stages in the world. The following year, she performed in Bali with the group.

“I decided to stay in Bali for three months to learn the ropes,” said Windy, who was mentored by former artistic director of Gamelan Cudamani I Dewa Ketut Alit.

Upon graduating from Berklee in 2007, Windy had a short stint at Jimi Hendrix’s recording studio, Electric Lady Studios, followed by a gig at the World Music Institute, and an exciting tour with top Indonesian band Slank.

By the time she returned to Jakarta after four years of living independently in the US – she says she never had a roommate – she feels like she’s a brand new person.

“My time in America did not only mold me to become a self-reliant person, but also taught me to appreciate the beauty of our own culture. Such understanding changed me as a person,” she shared.

Determined to widen her musical horizons, she jetted off to New York. Asked why she chose New York, Windy reasoned that she believed the Big Apple was the right place for her to promote Indonesian traditional music on a global level.

New York has indeed opened a lot of doors for the ambitious musician. In May 2010, the opportunity to serve the nation came knocking at her door.

“I was asked by the Indonesia Permanent Mission to the United Nations to teach angklung to a group of high diplomatic officials’ wives, including Mrs. Ban Ki-moon.

“This group was scheduled to perform during a celebration following UNESCO’s decision to include angklung on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” she explained. 

The following summer, Windy enrolled in New York University’s graduate school, focusing on music technology. New York also triggered her interest in jazz and accordion, which she learned from American maestro Gil Goldstein.

“I like New York for its cosmopolitan energies. I also like the fact that the city has a rich history in music and culture,” she said.

She believes that only in places like New York, where a clash of cultures is the norm, is there a possibility to promote less popular music. She’s also looking into the possibility of incorporating her traditional Indonesian musical background with the dynamic nature of jazz. 

Windy truly personifies what it means to be a global citizen – one who has been exposed to different cultures without compromising one’s own cultural identity.

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