Ethnic music needs innovation to flourish<\/p>\n
By Yogita Tahil Ramani<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Although the nation is composed of over an
\nestimated 400 ethnic groups, indigenous music as one of its
\ncultural riches is poorly developing in the face of western pop
\nculture, observers say.<\/p>\n
The efforts to preserve indigenous culture have been facing
\ntough challenges as broadcast media has made Indonesia part of
\nthe world's borderless village.<\/p>\n
The challenge to preserve and promote indigenous music was the
\nsubject of a discussion held to coincide with national Radio Day
\nin Jakarta last week.<\/p>\n
A key question in the discussion fielding senior radio
\nmanagers and musicians was why the Indonesian younger generation
\nloves western music more than indigenous music.<\/p>\n
It was revealed that western music dominated the programs of
\nthe 713 radio stations registered nationwide, with some playing
\nit up to 22 hours a day.<\/p>\n
So where does Indonesian ethnic music fit in?<\/p>\n
Chandra Novriadi, director of Masima Corporation which
\ncontrols several well-known radio stations in Jakarta, said that
\nas far as music was concerned, the programs of top radio stations
\nnationwide broadcast only western music.<\/p>\n
Ethnic music, he said, was aired by less popular stations with
\nfaithful listeners aged 40 and above.<\/p>\n
Masima Corporation controls six top radio stations in Greater
\nJakarta: Prambors FM, Delta FM, Female Radio, M-97 Classic Rock
\nFM, Radio SPFM and Bahana Metropolitan, and one in Bandung,<\/p>\n
Ethnic music that retains popularity on the radio is that of
\nmajor ethnic groups such as the Javanese, the Minang, the Batak
\nand the Manadoese.<\/p>\n
The seminar was co-organized by eight organizations, including
\nthe Ford Foundation, the Komseni public relations group, Radio
\nSuara Surabaya, the Indonesian Performing Arts Society and Radio
\nGeronimo Yogyakarta, and was held at Hotel Paragon.<\/p>\n
Representatives of over 20 radio stations and several
\nmusicians, including ethnic music composer Sapto Rahardjo of
\nYogyakarta, attended the seminar.<\/p>\n
Radio broadcaster Debra H. Yatim said that introducing ethnic
\nmusic to popular radio stations whose majority of listeners were
\nyoungsters was like a \"chicken-and-egg situation\".<\/p>\n
\"Radio stations won't sell it because few listen to it. And
\nwhy don't listeners ask for it? Because nobody's heard it on our
\nmore popular radio stations,\" Debra said.<\/p>\n
However, Debra, who is a Komseni official, suggested it was
\ntime radio stations popular with youngsters, like Prambors,
\nTrijaya, Kiss FM and Female Radio, took the risk of airing
\ntraditional music.<\/p>\n
\"If for instance, say Gambang Kromong (traditional music of
\nCirebon, West Java) was put on 15 times a day on Prambors, I bet
\nmy boots 20 kids would phone Prambors the next day and ask 'can
\nyou play that music again?'\"<\/p>\n
\"I am a radio broadcaster. I know if you put on Bragi's Janji
\nseven times a day on TV, Prambors and Kiss FM would play it as
\nwell, and within two weeks people would start looking for the
\ncassettes.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sapto, who is nationally and internationally known
\nas a master of Javanese karawitan (orchestra) and for his
\nexperimental works, offered another option.<\/p>\n
Over the past two years, he has sold his radio series in
\ndifferent formats and versions of traditional music to radio
\nstations in Medan, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.<\/p>\n
The series comprise information on music including Gambang
\nKromong, Ajeng, Pelog and Slendro, as well as inserts that are
\nfor sale to potential sponsors for the stations.<\/p>\n
Forty-nine stations have so far ordered the packages for the
\nperiod of August to November, he said.<\/p>\n
Sapto said that to teach traditional music to teenagers,
\ncomposers had to use \"world music\" as a base to convey the music
\nto listeners.<\/p>\n
\"World music means using a language that makes everybody
\nhappy. The music should just take the values of Minang folk
\nmusic, for example, and infuse it into techno, disco or reggae,\"
\nhe said. \"No lyrics needed. Just sound.\"<\/p>\n
He said that this would be one way of allowing Yogyakartans,
\nfor instance, to enjoy the music of Irian Jaya.<\/p>",
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