JP\/YKLASIK<\/p>\n
Classical music scene remains a vibrant niche<\/p>\n
One among many recommendations issued during the annual
\nmeeting of the Youth Music Orchestra (JMI), an international
\norganization that promotes classical music to young people, was
\nthat JMI affiliates in member countries should go online to
\npromote as many classical works as possible.<\/p>\n
Such a recommendation is a telling indication that rather than
\npreaching only to the converted -- namely playing to those who
\nare already well-acquainted with classical music -- promoters and
\nmusicians alike should exhibit more of their work to the general
\npublic.<\/p>\n
The JMI and its new strategy represent one group in the
\nclassical music world, those who strive to promote the genre to
\nthe fullest as opposed to puritans, who cry foul whenever
\nclassical music is promoted for the masses to enjoy.<\/p>\n
The latter groups for instance, have denounced crossover
\nperformers such as Vanessa Mae or British Trio Bond, whose
\nmodernist instrumentals make pop of classical music.<\/p>\n
However, it is these two opposing tendencies that have made
\nthe classical scene in the capital interesting this year.<\/p>\n
Composer Adhie M.S. of the Twilite Orchestra for instance is
\namong those who believe that classical music is for everyone to
\nenjoy.<\/p>\n
Twice this year, Adhie, along with his orchestra, performed in
\nconcerts featuring music from popular culture.<\/p>\n
In September, the Twilite Orchestra performed music from Teguh
\nKarya's films.<\/p>\n
Most of the songs from Teguh's films such as Badai Pasti
\nBerlalu (The Storm Will Pass) and Matahari (Sun), which in
\nthemselves are orchestra-ready, were brought to full majesty by
\nthe Twilite Orchestra.<\/p>\n
For the performance, Adhie invited opera singers Christopher
\nAbimanyu, Aning Katamsi and Berliana Hutauruk to sing onstage,
\ncreating the morose atmosphere that Teguh wanted for his films.<\/p>\n
It was a full house at concert venue Balai Sarbini with even
\nthe most unlikely of celebrities putting in an appearance.<\/p>\n
Two months later, at the same venue, the Twilite Orchestra
\nstaged another classical-pop concert.<\/p>\n
This time, the orchestra rehashed tunes from sci-fi films,
\nlike George Lucas' Star Wars, Stanley Kubrick's 2001: Space
\nOdyssey and hit TV series Star Trek.<\/p>\n
Adhie had apparently obtained, in preparation for the concert,
\noriginal copies of the sheet music used by Star Wars music
\ndirector John Williams.<\/p>\n
Aficionados<\/p>\n
At the other end of the continuum, however, there were those
\nwho stayed true to the classical music ideal of performing for a
\nsmall circle of \"educated listeners\".<\/p>\n
With little fanfare, these classical music aficionados took
\npains to invite world-class musicians to perform, with limited
\nresources at their disposal.<\/p>\n
In July, the city's Vienna Music Conservatory had the honor of
\nstaging a piano concert by Esther Budiharjo, an award-winning
\npianist.<\/p>\n
Budiharjo -- who was born 33 years ago in Cawang, East
\nJakarta, and graduated from the Boston-based New England
\nConservatory of Music -- delivered a riveting performance at the
\nGedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ).<\/p>\n
The GKJ, on its part, deserves credit for being one among
\ncultural institutions that support the classical scene. The
\nothers being the Dutch cultural center, Erasmus Huis, and the
\nGerman cultural center, Goethe Haus.<\/p>\n
For the 478th anniversary of Jakarta, the GKJ was the venue of
\ntwo concerts from Italian classical guitarist Stefano Cardi and
\npianist Adela Martin.<\/p>\n
In spite of the city's menacing traffic congestion and limited
\npublicity from the organizer, the GKJ was full to capacity for
\nboth performances.<\/p>\n
Then there was the Guitar Maestro Series, a four-month
\nseries organized by Sudirman Leman.<\/p>\n
A number of world-class guitarists including Canadian Alvaro
\nPieri and Italian Aniello Desiderio performed over the months.<\/p>\n
The performance of Desiderio on Dec. 1 was a revelation.<\/p>\n
His flamenco-inspired music was as tonally rich as it was
\ncomplex.<\/p>\n
Another noteworthy classical series was the Chamber Music
\nSeries, which kicked off on Oct. 24.<\/p>\n
Bringing together consummate musicians from both here and
\nabroad, the series was the stuff of dreams for classical music
\nlovers.<\/p>\n
Who could resist the country's leading soprano Binu D.
\nSukaman, trumpeter Eric Awuy and Japanese pianist Miwako Fukushi
\n-- all household names in Jakarta's classical music circle.<\/p>\n
The series opened with a performance from a group of European
\ninstrumentalists, the Akademia Quartet.<\/p>\n
The best in the series is yet to come.<\/p>\n
The European Camerata chamber music orchestra will perform in
\nMay -- standing, and with no conductor, we are told.<\/p>\n
Next year holds much in store, both for those who like their
\nMozart straight up and those for whom a contemporary take on the
\nclassics appeals.<\/p>\n
(M Taufiqurrahman)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jpyklasik-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }