Entire audience greatly moved by memorial concert<\/p>\n
Fitri Wulandari and I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Jimbaran, Bali<\/p>\n
From the beginning, everything at the Bali Memorial Concert had
\nbeen meticulously prepared to evoke a touching sense of solemn
\ntranquility. The dress code was either black or white.<\/p>\n
A white candle was placed on each chair. A soft glow of green
\nlight bathed the gigantic limestone slabs that majestically
\nflanked the open stage in the Garuda Wishnu Kencana (GWK)
\ncultural park.<\/p>\n
The message was crystal clear that the memorial concert was
\nnot about teenagers dancing exuberantly to deafening DJ-composed
\ntunes or about high-powered executives in black tuxedos immersing
\ntheir egos in an intricate repertoire of Chopin.<\/p>\n
It was all about a moment of musical silence and remembrance,
\nwhen people came together to strengthen each other over the pain,
\nanguish and grief that had engulfed them for weeks since a
\npowerful explosion claimed over 190 lives, mostly foreigners, on
\nthe island that used to be known for its peaceful atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\"We don't have any weapons, nor do we have any enemies, but we
\ndo have songs and music to help us through this difficult time.
\nTonight, in this park, I see the kind of world I have always
\nenvisioned, a world that is full with the color of rainbows,
\nwhere Muslims, Hindis, Christians, and white and black can come
\nand work together,\" noted Balinese sculptor I Nyoman Nuarta, who
\ninitiated the development of GWK, said in the concert's opening
\nspeech.<\/p>\n
The concert was opened with the national anthem, Indonesia
\nRaya, and the Australian national anthem Advance Australia Fair.
\nBoth anthems symbolized how the two countries had suffered the
\nmost from the tragedy and had become closer to help each other in
\ngetting through the difficult times.<\/p>\n
Addie MS, the conductor of the Twilite Orchestra, said the
\nidea to perform a memorial concert came after the Melbourne
\nSymphony Orchestra called and asked him for a copy of the
\nIndonesia Raya score for their memorial concert in Australia.<\/p>\n
\"I was both touched and humiliated by their request. How could
\nwe do nothing to honor the victims while in Australia, the
\ngovernment announced a national day of mourning and Queen
\nElizabeth II led a special prayer for the victims. Then I came up
\nwith the idea to hold a memorial concert here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Although it usually takes him at least six months to prepare a
\nbig concert, this time Addie only needed 14 days to select the
\nsongs, rehearse with the musicians and cast the singers,
\nincluding female tenor Linda Sitinjak, male soprano Christopher
\nAbimanyu, pop singer Rio Febrian and child star Sherina. The
\nconcert also involved the Twilite Orchestra Choir and the Udayana
\nUniversity Choir.<\/p>\n
All in all, the performance put on a good show despite the
\nfact that it had been hastily prepared. However, the concert's
\ntrue achievement was that it managed to ease any emotional
\ntension which had engulfed the public, especially the blast
\nvictims and the Balinese, during the days of horror following the
\nbombing.<\/p>\n
Anger, sadness, despair and confusion may not go away soon but
\nat least these feelings could be soothed with the orchestra
\nplaying songs of love, friendship, unity, peace and trust for the
\nAlmighty God.<\/p>\n
Some of the pieces played at the concert were the anthems of
\ninternational humanitarian causes or other peace concerts.<\/p>\n
Examples were of John Lennon's immortal Imagine, sung by Rio,
\nand Diana Ross's If We Hold on Together by Linda. Religious
\nsongs, such as Amazing Grace, Hymn to The Fallen and The Prayer,
\nturned the atmosphere of the open-air theater into a gripping,
\nsolemn remembrance for those who had perished in the inferno.<\/p>\n
While pieces cherishing love and friendship, such as You'll
\nNever Walk Alone reminded the audience that the bomb blast not
\nonly damaged the lives of the victims and their families and
\nfriends, but also the whole world.<\/p>\n
On that special night, the songs were powerful enough to evoke
\nthe emotions of the entire audience. People swayed lightly to the
\nmusic while their hands held their candles up high in the air
\nalthough there were hardly any tears.<\/p>\n
Concert-goers gave a standing ovation to some of the songs
\nperformed, while clapping their hands and holding each other
\ntightly to give support to one other.<\/p>\n
Although most of those in attendance were Indonesians, a
\nnumber of foreigners were also seen among the crowd. The whole
\ncrowd shared a common grief and were trying to overcome it.<\/p>\n
When Sherina -- dressed in a white gown with five roses in her
\nsilky black hair -- sung the melancholic Ibu Pertiwi
\n(Motherland), a song about a great country in a sorrowful state,
\nmembers of the audience struggled to hold back their tears.<\/p>\n
Yet, the concert was more than just a musical event. State
\nMinister for State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi stressed in his
\nspeech that Indonesia was not a country of terrorists, but rather
\na country that was being terrorized. He also urged the world not
\nto isolate Indonesia, an act that would give terrorists the
\nultimate victory.<\/p>\n
Praising Indonesian Muslims as being among the most peaceful,
\ntolerant and open-minded followers of Islam in the world,
\nLaksamana acknowledged the existence of radical groups in the
\ncountry. But, he added, they were small in number and their views
\nwere totally rejected by the majority of the Indonesian Muslim
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
\"We have to make sure that the evil of a few does not
\noverwhelm the good of the majority,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/entire-audience-greatly-moved-by-memorial-concert-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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