Young people in the Special Region of Yogyakarta have been given the\nopportunity to perform at an official state stage. The Cultural Affairs\nOffice (Kundha Kabudayan) of Yogyakarta has opened the Gita Bahana\nNusantara (GBN) Choir Auditions 2026 to select the best singers who will\nrepresent the region at Indonesia\u2019s 81st Independence Day commemoration\nceremony at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Four top contestants will be selected from soprano, alto, tenor, and\nbass vocal categories. They will join provincial representatives in the\nnational Gita Bahana Nusantara team to perform at the official ceremony\non 17 August 2026.<\/p>\n
Dian Lakshmi Pratiwi, Head of Yogyakarta\u2019s Cultural Affairs Office,\nstated that the GBN programme is part of youth development through music\nand the selection process for regional representatives at the national\nlevel. She added that GBN is not only a platform for vocal development\nbut also a means to strengthen national character and unity among young\npeople.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis activity is part of youth development through music and the\nselection process for representatives of the Special Region of\nYogyakarta to join the national Gita Bahana Nusantara team performing at\nthe 81st Republic of Indonesia Independence Day ceremony at Merdeka\nPalace, Jakarta,\u201d Dian said on Friday, 29 May 2026.<\/p>\n
GBN serves as a platform for nation-building through musical and\ncultural expressions involving talented youth from across Indonesia.\nBeyond developing musical skills, the programme also strengthens\nnationalism, togetherness, and the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika among\nyoung people.<\/p>\n
Regarding the Yogyakarta selection, Zita Uttungga Dewi Maharani, Head\nof the Performing Arts Section at the Cultural Affairs Office, explained\nthat participants will undergo several assessment stages before the best\nrepresentatives for each vocal category are chosen.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the auditions, participants will perform a mandatory song set\nby the committee, undergo musical notation reading tests, and vocal\nrange assessments,\u201d she said during the Gita Bahana Nusantara 2026 Choir\nAudition Socialisation in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
\u201cJudges, comprising both national and regional representatives, will\nassess aspects including vocal quality, vocal technique, interpretation,\nadherence to the score, and musical notation reading ability,\u201d she\nadded.<\/p>\n
Auditions are open to Yogyakarta residents aged 16-23, unmarried,\nphysically and mentally healthy, with vocal abilities matching soprano,\nalto, tenor, or bass categories. Registration runs from 29 May to 6 July\n2026. Participants will then attend a keynote pitch session on 9 July\nand the main auditions on 10 July at the Bima Room, Cultural Affairs\nOffice.<\/p>\n
\u201cParticipants are also expected to be able to read musical notation\nor sight-read as part of the selection criteria,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Zita acknowledged that participant enthusiasm is consistently high\neach year. However, the requirement of holding a Yogyakarta ID card\noften discourages some young people from competing. She noted that\nYogyakarta\u2019s selection quality often serves as a benchmark for other\nregions due to its more complex audition materials, which include\nsinging while also mastering sight-reading, solf\u00e8ge, musical notation,\nand rhythm.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther provinces may have simpler tests, but in Yogyakarta, it\u2019s more\ncomplex. Therefore, it\u2019s necessary to conduct socialisation so\nparticipants are not caught off guard,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
During the event, one of the audition judges, Pancasona Adji,\nreminded that success for participants depends not only on vocal quality\nbut also on mental readiness when facing the judges. He noted that many\nparticipants possess good abilities but fail to showcase them fully due\nto nervousness.<\/p>\n
Before the singing session, participants must undergo several\nselection stages, including reading notation, rhythm testing, and\nsolf\u00e8ge. Therefore, thorough preparation is key to showcasing their full\npotential during the auditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost prepare well but become nervous once on stage, unable to\ndemonstrate their abilities. Preparation must be 100% to fully unleash\ntheir capacity and talent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Axel, a student at Yogyakarta State High School No.\u00a08, is\nparticipating in the GBN selection for the first time this year.\nMotivated by the desire for new experiences in professional choir\nsettings, he has not been heavily involved in large-scale choir\nactivities, making the GBN auditions an opportunity to develop his\nskills.<\/p>\n
Despite not attending a music-focused institution, Axel said his\npassion for singing has grown since childhood. To maintain vocal\nquality, he regularly warms up and intensifies practice sessions before\ncompetitions or performances.<\/p>\n
\u201cPreparation involves daily warm-ups and intensive training when\nthere\u2019s a competition,\u201d he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gita-bahana-nusantara-2026-auditions-open-in-yogyakarta-special-region-four-talents-to-represent-at-merdeka-1780277915", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }