Arranger Elfa Secioria -- a man with big dreams

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.