1995 saw progress in gamelan music world

1995 saw progress in gamelan music world

By Zoel Mistortoify

PRAMBANAN, Yogyakarta (JP): The end of 1995 saw an important step in the world of gamelan music with the organizing of the International Gamelan Festival II and a seminar focused on the future of karawitan (the art of gamelan play and singing) education.

The festival, held in Prambanan, Yogyakarta, was opened by Vice President Try Sutrisno and closed by Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman. It was attended by participants from France, Japan, the United States, Britain, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Indonesia. These countries, which have gamelan music centers of their own, took part in the festival to share experiences and take stock of their progress by comparing themselves to the other participants.

Gamelan has been known to the world since the 16th century. It was reintroduced at the World Expo in Paris in 1870. Since then, meetings on gamelan music have frequently taken place across the world.

The festival was a continuation of the International Gamelan Festival I held in Vancouver, part of the World Expo of Canada in 1986. The difference in the second festival and seminar was that it concentrated mainly on the role children play in the future of karawitan. The basic objective is to make the gamelan part Indonesian children's musical education.

Eight children karawitan groups, with 12 performances, and six adult karawitan groups, with 7 presentations, were on the festival's program. Large audiences, consisting of the public, karawitan lovers and observers and experts from Indonesia and abroad, attended the performances.

The Indonesian adult karawitan groups presented contemporary works such as Ono opo (What's Up) by Bambang SP from Surabaya, 1001 Topeng (1001 Masks) by Darno and Omong (Talk) by I Nyoman Sukerna from the Indonesian Arts Institute of Surakarta, Dangiang by Suhendi and Yus from the Indonesian Arts Institute of Bandung, and a number of works by Jaduk Ferianto of Yogyakarta.

The Indonesian children karawitan compositions were not exempt from complex contemporary idioms, like the works of Srana Banyuwangi Kapuronto of East Java and Ubud's Gentha Buwana Sari, which were quite enthralling. The young performers were of elementary and high school age, but the quality of their performances was mature.

The foreign karawitan groups, of both adults and children, strongly adhered to performing the compositions in accordance with classical norms, which was touching and admirable for the local audience. The more so when Tokyo's Kodomo No Shiro (Children Castle) and the Anger Galerie Sonore of France performed children compositions in a strong straightforward way. The degree of "quality" did not need to apply in this case. On the other hand, Indonesia's younger generation should ask themselves why all this could happen.

Various comments were heard from observers, concerning the variety of interpretations in presentation and style of the classical and contemporary compositions, from the humorous to the serious genres.

One was aware of the phenomenon of cultural intersection of gamelan music, which entailed the vast spectrum of perceptions of the Indonesian society. Suhartoyo, the festival's committee chairman, said that during the two days of performances he had found contradictory perceptions. Some people considered that the young Indonesian artists had destroyed their own tradition. Others thought that their contemporary works had given rise to new sensations. "It makes sense," said one festival visitor.

Things are happening now. Demands are being made on the art of gamelan music in Indonesia to continuously change the way of performing classical works to an interpretative style. On the other hand, demands are being made on the art of gamelan music to create new progressive, even explosive, works. We are convinced that gamelan music will continue to exist in its own country. However, are the demands understood within the limits of the implication of seeking popularity?

In many countries gamelan music has been studied not only for its development but for what could be its essential objective, which is for the development of humans to be more human. In Japan, gamelan music has been used as tool for mental stimulation, expanding musical experiences and in the therapy of handicapped children.

The discussions at the seminars on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30, 1995, brought forward a number of important opinions and formulations. The discussions, by five speakers, were focused on appreciation, composition and strategy for fostering children karawitan. Prof. Harjo Susilo said that the degree of appreciation is not only based on the quality of an interesting work, but also on the community's perception of the social position of artists in olden days, and the appreciation by the parents who also influence their children's appreciation. Prof. Dieter Mack said that an objective appreciation arises if somebody experiences their own music process. It was admitted, however, that the parents' role, the environment and education are determining factors in the growth of children's appreciation.

From the formulation read out by Dr. Sri Hastanto, the seminar's chairman, it can be concluded that Indonesian children are facing three cultural conflicts: traditional, national and world culture. This is an impediment for Indonesian children looking for an identity in their cultural environment. Traditional Indonesian children's games, which are very important in developing children's cultural spirit, are disappearing fast, while games are an approach to acquaint oneself with esthetics, including gamelan music.

The Indonesian community needs to be convinced that an education in music is not only a way to produce musicians but, more importantly, it will produce people who appreciate, love and support the existence of gamelan music. In this situation, the institution that should be developed is a workshop system which would be in accordance with local conditions.

The Indonesian Gamelan Festival II and the seminar sponsored by the Senawangi Foundation Jakarta will endeavor to convince the government to handle the problems of traditional music and art education in general more seriously. It will be up to the Indonesian gamelan music community whether it is able to stem the development of cultural dimensions that have gone out of control and to raise the dimensions which are weakening.

The writer is conducting post-graduate studies on the performing arts at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.