Arranger Elfa Secioria -- a man with big dreams
By Sri Ramadani
JAKARTA (JP): The accomplishments of conductor and arranger Elfa Secioria here and abroad have not only made a name for himself, they have also improved the image of his country.
His latest achievement was winning three top prizes at the Choir Olympics 2000 in Linz, Austria last July.
Elfa came to the event with three teams: the 24-member Elfa's Singers, 10-member Elfa's Male Vocal Ensemble and 30-member Elfa's Children Choir. The groups brought home the Goldene Medaille, Gold Prize and Diplom der Stufe Gold III respectively.
"When we were there we were excited. But here, it's just business as usual," Elfa said about his singers' success.
About 81 countries took part in the first Choir Olympics. Elfa is already planning to take part in the next event in 2002 in Korea.
"By then, I expect my groups' membership to have increased by 300 percent," Elfa said, adding that his children's choir was outnumbered by Japan's, which had 125 members.
Prior to the groups' participation in the next Olympics, Elfa is planning to enter them in several festivals.
"I don't want them to get rusty. They will take part in festivals, like in Japan this November. Next year, they will tour Scandinavia, the Netherlands and nine European countries. In July, they will join international jazz festivals in Vienna, The Hague, Italy, Montreal. Then, we will prepare them for the 2nd Choir Olympics," Elfa said.
Born in Garut, West Java on Feb. 20, 1959, Elfa received jazz piano lessons from his father, who was in the military police, from the age of five. His mother is a singer. The two of them passed down their talents to him.
"When I was eight years old I had already performed on stage, and at the age of 11 I could pay school fees for me and my younger brother, who is now a drummer. At that time I also learned the organ and orchestral composition," Elfa said.
Elfa, who was a conductor in the World Popular Song Festival in Budokan Hall, Japan, has received many awards during his 30 years in music.
He has won, among others, the Lowrey Organ Contest in Indonesia, the 2nd Golden Kite World Song Festival in Kuala Lumpur, world music contests in Norway, Switzerland and the Netherlands, the Indonesian Pop Song Festival, the Asean Song Festival in Singapore and the Asia Song Festival in the Philippines.
"I have taken part in the Tokyo festival ten times and have also conducted there four times. Now, I can travel around the world with music."
Despite his accomplishments, Elfa has still not had enough.
He routinely takes part in workshops to further his knowledge and teaches at his music school.
His family fully support his career and various activities.
"My wife used to be my student, but now she's working with me as a singer. Whenever I make an ad or a jingle, she is the singer. She wrote nearly all of the lyrics on the Sherina album. Now she's having my fourth child," he said of his 34-year-old wife, Veral Sylvina.
Elfa is very careful about the music that his family listens to.
"I censor everything that comes into their ears. I was like that before. Why must it all be censored? Because I want all that we listen to or watch to be good for our ears and eyes," he said.
Despite his strictness, he is not forcing his three children to become musicians -- for the meantime.
"In the beginning, before any of my children have shown any talent, I will stimulate them musically ... But when or if I know they have talent in music, there will be no mercy -- a one-way ticket only," said the father of Hariza Ivancamille, 8, Raise Ivancavel, 7 and Cesyl Athaya Fauzziya, 3.
Despite his busy life, he always makes time for his family, taking them for holidays abroad at least once a year, eating out at Japanese restaurants and spending time on beaches in Anyer and Bali.
Young talent
Elfa has also helped with the development of young and talented young singers like Sherina and Andien.
"They are my students. I produced them and 'educated' them," Elfa said.
Elfa said he creates difficult lyrics and orchestrated melodies to provide a wide range of options to listeners.
Sherina has released an album and starred in a big screen movie, while Andien is Indonesia's first teenage jazz singer.
Elfa said that the 14-year-old Andien started 10 years ahead of other jazz singers, who usually start at about 24. He compared Andien to Celine Dion, who was taking part in international festivals when she was 12-years old.
This September, Elfa will release an album for another student, 18-year-old Anthie, and help make an Elfa's Male Vocal Ensemble album.
One day, he hopes he can have a big and strong music school, while at the same time, he wishes to have a quality orchestra of his own. As a teacher, he also wants his students to be successful.
"I want of my students what they want: success," he said.
He acknowledged that music education in Indonesia was expensive because schools needed musical instruments, which are not cheap. He wishes someday Indonesia has a state orchestra like the one in Malaysia and more quality concert halls.
However, he realizes that orchestras are only loved by limited numbers of people.
"Their fans are not many, but they are influential. It is like boutiques: when people finish taking care of their stomachs and improving their life, they find time for luxury," Elfa said.