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PSM Unpad gears up for European competition
Hitting the right note: The Padjadjaran University Student Choir (PSM Unpad) and conductor Arvin Zeinullah (center) perform in the 67th International Choral Competition in Arezzo, Italy, last month
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itting the right note: The Padjadjaran University Student Choir (PSM Unpad) and conductor Arvin Zeinullah (center) perform in the 67th International Choral Competition in Arezzo, Italy, last month.(Courtesy of PSM Unpad)
Following its victory in Italy, the Padjadjaran University Student Choir (PSM Unpad) is faced with the challenge of preparing new members for the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing competition next year.
PSM Unpad’s Indonesia Kirana (Radiant Indonesia) team emerged as grand champion in the 67th International Choral Competition in Arezzo, Italy, last month through its solemn renditions of classic songs and lively reinterpretation of the Balinese Hindu “Gayatri” prayer.
The victory qualifies PSM Unpad for the final round of the 2020 European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in Debrecen, Hungary. But as some of its current members will soon graduate from Padjadjaran University in Bandung, West Java, the choir must train new singers to compete in the European Grand Prix.
“It’s like soccer’s World Cup; the European Grand Prix is the top-ranking competition for choral singing,” the choir’s media manager, Richard Ismail, told The Jakarta Post over the phone.
The European Grand Prix will see the winners of six European choral competitions competing for the top title. As champion of the Italian competition, the Indonesia Kirana team will face fellow winners from events held in France, Spain, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Hungary.
Since returning home, Indonesia Kirana team leader Dewi Mayangsari has been working to rearrange the group’s formation.
“Some members must be replaced as they will graduate soon, and some others are [leaving for] other reasons,” said Dewi, who sang as a soprano in the team.
Only committed PSM Unpad members will be invited to join Indonesia Kirana for the European Grand Prix.
As part of the selection process, PSM Unpad’s new members are required to perform in internal concerts, which will be used as practice for the choir’s annual concerts in November.
“The selected members will undergo five months of intensive training for the annual concerts,” Richard said.
During the annual concerts, which will take place in Bandung and Yogyakarta, choir leaders will select the best members to participate in the European Grand Prix and other overseas competitions.
Speaking of its target in Hungary, Dewi said her team aimed to secure the grand championship.
“We’re focusing on giving our best. We strive to make our dreams come true by practicing from now on,” she said.
Indonesia Kirana was named the grand champion in Italy after claiming multiple awards across various categories, including first place in the Musica Sacra category, second place in the Monographic Program and third place in the Compulsory Program.
Choir conductor Arvin Zenullah also won the Special Prize of Best Interpretation for a Contemporary Piece for his arrangement of Pietro Ferrario’s “Ubi Caritas”.
Additionally, the 42-student choir also took home the Favorite Performance award in the International Festival of Folk Music category for its performances of three Indonesian folk songs: South Kalimantan’s “Paris Barantai”, Maluku’s “Mande-Mande” and “Gayatri”, the first verse of the Balinese Hindu “Puja Tri Sandya” prayer.
PSM Unpad is not the first Indonesian choir to compete in the European Grand Prix. The Resonanz Children’s Choir and the Batavia Madrigal Singers were Grand Prix contenders after winning the Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Founded 41 years ago, PSM Unpad has won a number of international choir competitions, including the seventh Bali International Choir Festival last year.
“Through our victory in Bali, we had the chance to compete in the first Asia Choral Grand Prix in Manila, but we failed to win the grand championship,” Richard said.
Indonesia Kirana has served as PSM Unpad’s vehicle for competing in international competitions since 2015.
“This brand isn’t just for competitions but also for cultural concerts, videomaking and merchandise production, which in business terms is more neutral for PSM Unpad,” said Zulfikar, a senior PSM Unpad member who came up with the team’s name.
