Innovations in ethnic music<\/p>\n
By Kartika Bagus C.<\/p>\n
SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): The audience packing the
\nSurakarta Cultural Center Arena Theater burst into a huge roar of
\napplause when Drumming, a composition by young artist Gunarto
\nGondrong, came to a close.<\/p>\n
Soon words and whistles of admiration filled the air.<\/p>\n
The composition brought together percussion instruments from
\ndifferent places, such as African drums, a set of European drums,
\nBalinese drums, Javanese drums, Sundanese drums and Rudy's
\nplywood drums.<\/p>\n
Enlivening the event was Jarot B.D., a guest singer, who
\npresented Jamaican music. His uniquely high-pitched voice was
\nextremely suitable for his ethnic music.<\/p>\n
Drumming was the closing number of six compositions performed
\nthat night, which was part of a hybrid music show titled Suita 42
\nHari -- a collaboration between the SonoSeni Ensemble and
\n30-year-old Japanese musician Takahito Hayashi.<\/p>\n
Hayashi presented a composition he wrote, Uzu (Deep). The
\nnumber featured the sound of dejeridoo, an Aboriginal instrument
\nwhich is the world's oldest wind instrument. It also featured
\nAfrican drums called jembe and an acoustic guitar, which
\nmechanically formed a series of patterns.<\/p>\n
The Nagoya-born Takahito, a graduate of the Jazz and Bosanova
\nSaxophone Department at Mesar House, Tokyo, proved he is a master
\nof Asian traditional wind instruments. Over the past two months,
\nhe has collaborated with SonoSeni Ensemble to create seven cross-
\ncultural works.<\/p>\n
Most members of SonoSeni Ensemble do not have a background of
\nplaying in a band, but they do have the skill to play music of
\ndifferent genres: keroncong, Javanese langgam, Bali gamelan,
\nSunda gamelan and Madurese folk music. Only one has a rock music
\nbackground. The ensemble synthesized the various genres into a
\nhybrid.<\/p>\n
SonoSeni Ensemble performed seven compositions. They music was
\neclectic for an audience long accustomed to standard music. All
\nthe compositions were from the ethnic genre, with rapid rhythms
\nand lots of improvisations. Ethnic vocals were now and then added
\nto the music.<\/p>\n
The ensemble also incorporated the saxophone, played by
\nHayashi. On the stage were combinations of musical instruments
\nand percussions, such as the bongo, ketipung, trumpet, Javanese
\ndrums, ukulele, bonang (a small gong in the Javanese gamelan).<\/p>\n
The collaboration between musicians from different cultural
\nbackgrounds achieved its purpose of creating a hybrid music.<\/p>\n
SonoSeni was founded two years ago by six veteran artists, I.
\nWayan Sadra, Joko S. Gombloh, Zoel Mistortoify, Gunarto Gondrong,
\nRudy Sulistanto and Abe Abdul Kholiq.<\/p>\n
Each is a seasoned artist. Zoel Mistortoify, for example, is a
\ngraduate of Gadjah Mada University's School of Performing Arts,
\nand founded a kulintang music group called Jambas and the gamelan
\nrock band Pelangi Nusantara. I Wayan Sadra was a 1991 recipient
\nof the New Horizon Award from the International Society for Arts,
\nSciences and Technology in the U.S.<\/p>\n
SonoSeni has its headquarters on Jl. Empu Gandring in
\nSurakarta. Its members' works have been performed in a number of
\nmajor cities in Indonesia. In July and August last year, they
\nperformed at the Pacific Music Festival in Saporo, Japan, and in
\nGermany, featuring the works of Wayan Sadra.<\/p>\n
All these performances have undoubtedly improved their
\nstanding in the entertainment world. But most notable of all is
\nthe fact that they have pioneered new innovations in ethnic
\nmusic.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/innovations-in-ethnic-music-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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