Life and music inseparable for Aida Swenson<\/p>\n
By Rita A. Widiadana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Life and music is inseparable for Aida Swenson
\nSimanjuntak.<\/p>\n
Her eyes shine brightly, as she says, \"Music has enriched my
\nwhole life.\"<\/p>\n
A few years ago, the name of Aida Swenson was not recognized
\nin the Indonesian music circle. Now, she is one of the most
\ntalked-about individuals in the serious music community.<\/p>\n
Five months ago she was chosen to conduct the Twilite Chorus,
\na newly-established choir managed by the established Twilite
\nOrchestra.<\/p>\n
\"I felt very much honored to be appointed as the chorus
\nconductor,\" said Aida, a mother of three teenagers.<\/p>\n
Twilite Orchestra's conductor Addie MS explained that they
\nchose Aida because of her musical skills as well as her
\npersonality.<\/p>\n
\"We needed a dedicated person with a highly reputable music
\nbackground to conduct Twilite Chorus and we thought that Aida was
\nthe right person for the post,\" Addie said.<\/p>\n
Born 40 years ago as the eldest daughter of famous songwriter
\nAlfred Simanjuntak, the composer of Bangun Pemudi Pemuda, Aida
\nhas been involved in numerous musical activities since childhood.<\/p>\n
Instead of pursuing a career in communications as she had
\nalways dreamed of, she received a scholarship from the Geneva-
\nbased World Council of Churches in l971 to study music for seven
\nyears before she got her masters in choral conducting from
\nWestminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.<\/p>\n
Aida has led the children's choir, Paduan Suara Anak
\nIndonesia, the Indonesian Children's Choir and the Concordian
\nChoir.<\/p>\n
The Children's choir won the highest award at the Choir
\nCompetition among ASEAN countries in Manila last year.<\/p>\n
\"It clearly shows that Indonesia can actually achieve high
\nrecognition internationally,\" said Aida, who is now active as a
\nmusic teacher at several higher learning institutions.<\/p>\n
The development of choral music in Indonesia is still in its
\ninfancy, especially when compared to the neighboring countries of
\nSingapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, Aida commented.<\/p>\n
Yoseph Suryadi, a soloist, said, however, that recent choir
\nactivities in the country have shown encouraging development.
\nSeveral choir competitions were organized by universities and
\nother institutions. A number of new choirs have also enhanced the
\nlocal music scene.<\/p>\n
\"It is expected that the establishment of Twilite Chorus will
\nencourage choral music in the country,\" Kristanto said.<\/p>\n
Audition<\/p>\n
Addie hopes that Twilite Chorus will become a professional
\nchoir in the future. To realize this dream, he held a special
\naudition to select candidates for the chorus.<\/p>\n
The audition took place at the Dutch Cultural Center Erasmus
\nHuis between April 23 and April 30 this year.<\/p>\n
The judges included Aida, Yoseph Suryadi, Addie MS and Alex
\nFrits, Twilite's communications manager.<\/p>\n
Some 275 candidates underwent a series of musical tests,
\nincluding musical techniques, sight singing and intonation in the
\naudition. Sixty-two of 275 candidates were chosen to join Twilite
\nChorus. The chorus members are comprised of university students
\nand young professionals whose ages range from 17 to 27 years old.<\/p>\n
\"I am convinced that the quality of the chorus members is
\nabove average, yet we still want to improve their skills to reach
\ninternational standards,\" Aida commented.<\/p>\n
The idea to establish the chorus stemmed from the difficulty
\nin maintaining long-term cooperation with choir groups,
\nespecially student choirs, according to Addie.<\/p>\n
Over the last two years, Twilite Orchestra performances were
\noften supported by a number of choirs such as the Paragita Choir
\nfrom the University of Indonesia and The University of
\nParahyangan Choir.<\/p>\n
\"However, it was hard to arrange for a time for a joint
\npractice as they were university students with their own
\nschedules,\" Addie explained.<\/p>\n
\"It became my obsession to set up our own choir to support our
\nactivities,\" he added.<\/p>\n
\"But, that doesn't mean that our relationship with other
\nchoirs is over. They have supported our previous performances and
\nwe are very thankful. I hope we can still work together in the
\nnear future,\" Alex quickly injected.<\/p>\n
The establishment of Twilite Chorus is aimed not only at
\nsupporting the orchestra's activities but also at improving the
\npublic's appreciation of choirs.<\/p>\n
\"At present, people still think a choir can only sing serious
\nand boring music that cause frowns on their foreheads,\" Aida
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Proof<\/p>\n
The fact that many choirs have started to include a large
\nnumber of pop and even rock songs in their repertoires is proof
\nthat a choir can be entertaining, she argued.<\/p>\n
Songs like Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are the Champions by British
\nrock group The Queen, or the Beatles's hit Yesterday could be
\narranged in a serious yet appealing choral sound, she explained.<\/p>\n
Even in one choir competition, the organizing committee
\ndecided to declare a popular song, Kisah Sedih di Hari Minggu by
\nlocal band Koes Plus, as a requirement. It worked well.
\nTraditional and ethnic songs like Janger Bali (Bali), Jali-jali
\n(Jakarta) and Suwe Ora Jamu (Central Java) will also enrich the
\ngroup's repertoire, said Aida.<\/p>\n
\"It is not true that performing rock or popular songs will
\nlower the quality of a choir, especially since we are still
\nrequired to master standard musical techniques,\" Aida commented.<\/p>\n
During its performance at the Bogor Palace last weekend, the
\nchorus presented a number of light songs as well as classics. The
\ngroup performed Ati Raja, a traditional song from South Sulawesi,
\nVaria Nusantara, Kupinta Lagi by Cornelis Simanjuntak and Sanusi
\nPane, and Triumphal March by Giuseppe Verdi.<\/p>\n
\"We plan to perform classical pieces by Johaness Brahms,
\nWolfgang Amadeus Mozart and other great composers,\" she said.<\/p>\n
However, possessing musical talent and mastering musical
\nskills aren't the crucial factors in making a choir successful.<\/p>\n
\"The success of a choir lies mostly in teamwork. It is the
\nwork of all members of the choir, not the choral conductor,\" she
\nstressed.<\/p>\n
\"A choir consists of a number of persons, each with a
\ndifferent personality. Each member must learn how to understand
\nother people's feelings, ideas and opinions. They learn how to
\naccept people's accomplishments as well as their shortcomings,\"
\nshe explained.<\/p>\n
\"It is almost hopeless to create a solid and harmonious group
\nif it consists of self-centered individuals who lack self-
\ndiscipline,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Aida is currently trying hard to build a personal relationship
\nwith all the chorus members. As most of the members are still
\nteenagers, Aida tries to place herself as their best friend
\nrather than their choir conductor.<\/p>\n
\"We must orchestrate our hearts and minds before we can
\nproduce melodious and harmonious sounds. That is a fact in a
\nchoir,\" Aida concluded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/life-and-music-inseparable-for-aida-swenson-1447893297",
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