Multitalented Indonesian artist RM Gregorius Djaduk Ferianto can no longer watch his daughter, Gusti Arirang, performing with her band, Tashoora, after his sudden passing on Wednesday.

“At 2:30 a.m., Djaduk had a heart attack and died on the lap of his wife, Petra,” artist Butet Kartaredjasa, who is Djaduk’s older brother, told reporters.

A natural born artist, 55-year-old Djaduk grew up in a family filled with artistic talents. He was the seventh and youngest son of artist couple Bagong Kussudiardjo and Soetiana.

In the arts and culture scene, Djaduk, who once studied at the Indonesian Fine Arts Academy (ASRI) in Yogyakarta, is well known as an ethnomusician. He established the Kua Etnika and Sinten Remen music groups. In addition, Djaduk was also the founder of Ngayogjazz, a jazz festival that regularly visits villages in and around the Yogyakarta region each year.

Other than music, Djaduk was also the director of theater troupe Teater Gandrik and has performed as an actor in numerous films.

“He is a hard worker, very disciplined and a total perfectionist. I know that he always gives his all whenever he prepares something. He gives all of his energy and concentration to his work. This is Djaduk,” Butet said with tears in his eyes for his little brother.

Butet added that he did not want to speculate about why Djaduk had a heart attack but he knew that his little brother had been very busy organizing the 2019 Ngayogjazz, which is scheduled to take place at the Kwagon village in Sleman on Nov. 16.

Djaduk, according to Butet, had his heart attack not long after midnight on Wednesday after he went home from a meeting about Ngayogjazz preparations. To his wife, Djaduk complained that his hip was in severe pain.

“[This year’s] Ngayogjazz will go ahead as planned. Let it be Djaduk’s last moment,” Butet said.

Prior to Djaduk’s death, he was supposed to be directing a new Teater Gandrik play titled Para Pensiunan 2024 (The Retirees of 2024), which will be performed in Surabaya, East Java, on Dec. 6 and 7. Butet said he was unsure whether this project would continue because the troupe was completely devastated by Djaduk’s death.

Teater Gandrik’s scripwriter, Susilo Nugroho, said that while the troupe members were deeply saddened, they were determined to finish and perform the play in honor of Djaduk.

“We have experienced the death of one of us before,” Susilo said.

Inside Djaduk’s coffin, he was dressed in white with his trademark glasses and sandals. At Djaduk’s home in Kembaran, colleagues from many different fields and disciplines paid their final respects to the artist. Djaduk was survived by his wife and five children.

“Indonesia has lost one of its best multitalented artists. May we can continue his legacy,” one of the visitors, contemporary music artist Wok The Rock, said.

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