Artists strive to create Islamic songs for children
Artists strive to create Islamic songs for children
By Rita A. Widiadana
Memuji Allah
Sayap Mengembang, terbang melayang
Sambil bertasbih memuji Allah
Burung-burung ciptaan Allah
Semuanya memuji Allah
Subhanallah... Subhanallah
The birds spread their wings widely
Flying high in the sky, they praise the
Mighty God
The birds that God created
They all praise Him
A.T. Mahmud
JAKARTA (JP): This simple lyric is from a melodious song
presented by a dozen children one Ramadhan afternoon at a modest
art workshop in West Jakarta.
Their angelic voices reverberated through the neighborhood,
compelling people to come and listen to their singing.
The children belong to the Firdaus Foundation, a non-profit
organization which actively promotes the development of Islamic
art and culture.
"They are practicing intensely because they have to perform in
many events such as television programs and shopping malls this
month," explained the foundation's music instructor, Ni Luh Dewi
Chandrawati Ngurah.
Established in July l995, the foundation is mainly aimed at
accommodating the intellectual and artistic activities of Moslem
children. These activities include choral and theatrical
programs, religious lessons and discussions.
Twice a week, more than 75 children take part in the vocal
lessons at the foundation's workshop. They learn various
techniques to improve their singing ability.
The foundation involves such prominent musicians as Denny
Hatami, Micco Januar, Din Din Geronimo and famous children's song
writer A.T. Mahmud to teach the children and to create music and
songs which are educational, yet entertaining. The songs are from
various musical genre -- pop, rock and even jazz.
"Music can enrich the lives of our children. They not only
learn how to sing properly but also gain a lot more. Singing
makes them feel very happy," Dewi said.
Before setting up the Firdaus Foundation, Dewi led the Anak
Alif children vocal group which mostly performed songs with
Islamic themes. Dewi and some of her friends also founded a
children's magazine entitled Aku Anak Saleh (I am a pious child).
Public response was encouraging. Many people loved the songs
performed by Anak Alif. They also appreciated the Islamic concept
and began to register their children with the group.
It was only seven months ago that Dewi and a number of parents
of Anak Alif established a professional organization to enhance
the children's activities.
The foundation is also aimed at providing an educational forum
for both children and parents to increase communications between
them, she said.
Busy
Nowadays, she noted, there is little room left for children to
fulfill their emotional needs in a society that overemphasizes
scholastic and materialistic achievements.
"Parents are busy with their own activities and tend to
neglect their kids's education. They entrust their kids into the
hands of their baby-sitters and even housemaids. Parents no
longer provide the right model for their offspring," she pointed
out.
Many parents even ruin their kids's childhood. Instead of
showering them with affection and attention, parents "bribe"
their children with money or toys, Dewi said.
She went on to say that there is something lacking in the
education of our children. There is no education of the feelings,
Dewi said.
Modern society, she said, lacks the means to foster creative
spirit because intellect and knowledge are given undue
importance.
"Today, many young people know how to play video games and
other sophisticated toys, including the multimedia, but they
don't know how to make friends or to respect their elders," she
said.
Through music lessons, the foundation tries to help bringing
out the children's innate creativity while teaching them the
values of life, she added.
Most of the lyrics of the songs produced by the foundation
deal with Islamic teachings written in children's language. In
Bunda (Mother) the children express their love for their mothers
and their gratitude to God. In Masjidku (My Mosque) they convey a
deep religious feeling.
Other benefits from the singing activities are also evident,
Dewi said. "Spending time with their friends has broadened the
children's outlook of life and teaches them to treat others with
kindness and respect," she said.
The foundation has produced more than a hundred religious
songs. "We plan to record these songs in a number of albums,"
Dewi said.
Album
Another effort to introduce children to religion (Islam) is
made by artist Neno Warisman. With a group of children called
Aulade Gemintang (The Shining Children), she recently released an
album entitled A Ba Ta Tsa, the first three letters in the Arabic
alphabet.
The album consists of 10 songs in Indonesian and English which
are strongly Islamic in themes. A Ba Ta Tsa shows children the
greatness of God. Hujan (Rain) teaches children about nature and
God's power to create everything on earth.
The songs are richly tinged with a sweet pop touch -- a mix of
melancholy and cheerful melodies. Some of the tracks resemble
songs from Robert Wise's movie, The Sound of Music.
To make the album more sophisticated, Neno collaborated with
several local musicians such as Dwiki Dharmawan, Dian AGP and
Riza Arzhad for musical arrangement. She also involved
controversial poet Emha Ainun Nadjib, writer Sapto Rahardjo
producers Haidar Yahya Irwan Soepargo and Arie Wibowo.
The release of this religious album, which took about a year
to produce, has injected a breath of fresh air into the local
music scene which is currently inundated with profit-oriented
children songs.
Neno said she is concerned over the development of the
children's music industry in the country.
"There are many children's songs on the local market, but they
lack moral values. The songs contain lyrics that do not fit a
child's world," she said.
"We plan to reach a wider audience by using English. We have
already checked the meaning of each word in these English songs
with a linguist, a psychologist and various religious leaders,"
said Neno.
"This album is an experiment to include religious elements in
the music industry," Emha commented.
"All these activities need encouragement because they promote
sensitivity and compassion in children," he concluded.