Nuansa Klasika to perform tonight at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta<\/p>\n
By Laksmi Pamuntjak-Djohan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The current malaise in Jakarta's classical music
\nworld proves that good intentions alone are not enough.<\/p>\n
Regularity has not been among the scene's redeeming features
\nlately. Shackled by petty infighting, prejudices and the lack of
\nthe \"right connections\", many musicians find the practice of
\nbuilding a reputation is tantamount to a lifetime of longing, not
\na logical reward for merit.<\/p>\n
The fact that certain groups, including chamber musical
\nensemble Nuansa Klasika (Classical Nuances), have been able to
\nresist fading into obscurity is no mean feat. Having performed at
\nthe Gedung Kesenian Jakarta only last year, Nuansa Klasika is now
\ngearing up for another concert tonight at 8 p.m. at the same
\nvenue.<\/p>\n
The group's portfolio is quite impressive considering it was
\nonly formed in 1995. It has performed in embassy residences, all
\nof Jakarta's leading venues including Erasmus Huis, and has even
\nlanded spots on TV and radio.<\/p>\n
Experienced the members certainly are. Clarinetist Karen
\nEllis-Chong, a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, is
\nevidently at home with chamber music, having participated in
\nvarious prestigious overseas chamber music ensembles.<\/p>\n
Since moving to Indonesia in 1994, she has performed under the
\nauspices of AKT Musik Indonesia and The Circle, as well as with
\nJakarta's International Music Foundation. Outside of Indonesia
\nand the United States, her performances have taken her to Russia,
\nRomania, Hungary, Austria and Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
Sterling credentials also belong to violinist Sharon Eng. She
\nobtained her bachelor's and master's degrees in music performance
\nfrom the famous Juilliard School in New York, later representing
\nthe United States in Herbert von Karajan's International Youth
\nOrchestra in Berlin. She was also awarded several prestigious
\nfellowships.<\/p>\n
Eng has also had her fair share of orchestral playing, notably
\nwith the orchestras of the American Ballet Theatre and the New
\nYork City Opera. Her solo experience includes a performance with
\nthe National Cathedral Orchestra in Washington.<\/p>\n
Ary Sutedja, one of Indonesia's leading pianists and
\naccompanists, is no stranger to Jakarta's classical music scene.
\nWhile studying for her master's degree at Towson State University
\nin Baltimore, she won numerous awards for outstanding
\nachievements. Her European experience includes post-graduate
\nstudies at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, as well as
\nextensive touring as a pianist with the Bremen Opera Theatre.<\/p>\n
Career<\/p>\n
Oboist Soun-Youn Yoon also has a solid local and international
\ncareer to her credit. An honors graduate of the Faculty of Music
\nat the Seoul National University and a frequent winner of South
\nKorea's important musical awards, Yoon has established a
\nprofessional career, including performances in the United States,
\nJapan and Malaysia, and orchestral contracts with the Korean
\nSymphony Orchestra and the Seoul Symphony Orchestra. In May 1995,
\nshe made her Indonesian debut at the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta,
\naccompanied by Ary.<\/p>\n
In an age when technical competence and a diverse repertoire
\nare no longer rarities, what supposedly sets Nuansa Klasika apart
\nfrom other groups is its policy of commissioning original
\ncompositions for each of its performances.<\/p>\n
\"It is important for us to present the works of living
\ncomposers,\" explained Ary. \"Not only does this give us a
\ndistinctive feature, but it also keeps audiences abreast with the
\nlatest musical ideas and inspiration.\"<\/p>\n
So far, the group has premiered compositions from Indonesia,
\nRussia and England. The latest, Cheon Hee Choi's Quartet for
\nOboe, Clarinet, Viola and Piano, will be featured in the upcoming
\nconcert.<\/p>\n
Cheon is a highly-respected South Korean composer whose early
\ntraining in percussion is reflected in this particular work's
\nblend of percussive elements, minimalism and a pentatonic
\nframework common to so many Asian musical cultures.<\/p>\n
Apart from the quartet, this evening's program will consist of
\nArthur Foote's Sarabande and Rigaudon for oboe, violin and piano,
\nC. Reinecke's Trio in A major for clarinet, viola and piano and
\nJ.S. Bach's Concerto in D minor for oboe and clarinet, which has
\nbeen transcribed to include a piano accompaniment.<\/p>\n
The choice of Foote and Reinecke is reflective of Nuansa
\nKlasika's proclivity towards introducing rarely-performed
\ncompositions -- which is another proven way of extending public
\nknowledge of classical music's vast repertoire.<\/p>",
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