Five years hard work pays off for Capella Amadeus<\/p>\n
By Gus Kairupan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Seems like only yesterday that a group of nine
\nstring players, known as Capella Amadeus, made its debut at
\nErasmus Huis. The performance five years ago, a realization of
\nleader violinist Grace Sudargo's ideals, had all the trappings of
\na beginner: technical shortcomings, a program that was limited to
\neasy-to-listen and, no doubt, easy-to-play works.<\/p>\n
Easy to play? For the group of beginners, the music would have
\nbeen anything but. However, as the years went by, the group
\nprogressed more and more. If in the first three years
\nperformances were rather more than less confined to music from
\nsuch early classical composers like Albinoni, Vivaldi and early
\nMozart, Capella Amadeus now includes in its repertoire romantic
\nand 20th century works from the likes of Benjamin Britten and
\neven none-too-harmonic stuff like Canadian composer Alexander
\nBrott's Critics Corner for strings and tympany.<\/p>\n
No longer a group of nine, Capella Amadeus' players number
\nabout 14 members. This is the standard total of string chamber
\norchestras, so in at least the physical sense Sudargo may be said
\nto have reached her goal.<\/p>\n
But getting together 14 (or any other amount) musicians does
\nnot music make. You have to get them in shape to produce that,
\nwhich is where the hard work comes in. That is Grace's job, and
\nthere is little doubt that she does it well, if the capacity
\naudiences at Erasmus Huis, where Capella Amadeus performs twice a
\nyear, are anything to go by.<\/p>\n
But the concerts, organized by Capella Amadeus itself, are not
\nthe only activities. During the past five years the orchestra's
\nreputation has spread, and on about 10 occasions it has performed
\nfor charity evenings, as well as participating in events that
\nfeatured foreign artists, such as the concert with two guitarists
\nfrom Germany and a 1996 concert under Australian conductor Philip
\nGreen. Such is Capella Amadeus' reputation today that a former
\nmember of the orchestra who hails from Germany has made the
\neffort to come back and join it again in the concert to be held
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
They work hard during the rehearsals.<\/p>\n
\"No, no! (this to the low instruments, cellos and bass) \"Give
\nit a round, full sound... give it full bow.\" Or \"play that in
\nthe third position... that would be better.\" Or (giving vocal
\nindications of the rhythm) \"Ya! Ya! Ya! Ya!\" No wonder the
\nmembers look (and are!) exhausted after the two-hour session of
\ngoing through their paces until everything is right.<\/p>\n
Exhausted, certainly, but also satisfied. Not a soft
\ntaskmaster, Grace, and she does yell, but never is there a harsh
\nor unpleasant remark, and never does she show a trace of waning
\noptimism. It must be the new way of teaching music. How well I
\nremember the days with my second piano teacher, someone who was
\nvery difficult to describe as belonging to the human race.
\nRemote, and ever ready to smite you with a sarcastic remark.
\nThis was far worse than the first teacher, who was merely armed
\nwith a ruler to administer raps on my knuckles.<\/p>\n
The orchestra's members comprise teachers of the Amadeus Music
\nSchool which, like the Capella Amadeus String Chamber Orchestra,
\nis part of the Amadeus Music Foundation. Also the school's most
\nadvanced students, some of whom are in their early teens, like
\nPeggy Seputra, 14, and Rebecca Wirakesumah, 13. Young they may
\nbe, but they match their elders in the understanding of music.<\/p>\n
The result of Grace's drilling during rehearsals, and, of
\ncourse, the sold-out concerts, are proof of her capabilities not
\nonly as a performer, but also, and perhaps even more importantly,
\nas a teacher. A cum laude graduate of the Graz Conservatory in
\nAustria, she is also a member of the European String Teachers
\nAssociation, which was established under the auspices of one of
\nthis century's foremost violinists, Yehudi Menuhin.<\/p>\n
Her background in education probably accounts for the desire
\nto expand Capella Amadeus' activities, i.e. spreading
\nappreciation for classical music.<\/p>\n
\"Most activities of classical music are confined to Java,\"
\nGrace said. \"I think that people in the outer regions should also
\nbe exposed to this art.\" But never having had a taste of such
\nmusic, would there be enough interest out there? She is convinced
\nthere will, but then the orchestra should not just give concerts.
\nWorkshops must also be part of the program -- in Java too, of
\ncourse, but even more so in places outside Java.<\/p>\n
Beginning last year, Capella Amadeus for the first time \"went
\nabroad\" and appeared in Medan before an appreciative audience of
\nabout 400 -- which happens to be a capacity audience even in
\nJakarta. This year's program features, beside the concert this
\nweek at Erasmus Huis, a tour to Bali, the main sponsor of which
\nis the Radisson Bali Hotel in Sanur. The hotel will be the host
\nof both a concert and workshop for students of classical music.
\nProceeds of the Bali concert will be donated to a music school
\nthat specializes in Indonesian music, but also has a small
\ndepartment that concentrates on classical music.<\/p>\n
It may be just five years old but Capella Amadeus String
\nChamber Orchestra can already look back on an admirable track
\nrecord.<\/p>",
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