Children unite for World Choir concert
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
More than 1,200 children from all walks of life -- shelters, schools as well as those attending international schools across the country -- will raise their voices for the upcoming Children of the World Choir concert.
In the concert at Plenary Hall, Jakarta Convention Center on Oct. 10, the children will bring joy and harmony to their counterparts who have fallen victim to the country's turmoils.
"Choirs are great fun, they have the power to make us happy, they bring people from all walks of life together through singing," the choir's executive director and musical director Aida Swenson said at a recent media conference.
Supported by Bank Indonesia (BI) deputy governor Miranda Goeltom, the concert will bring together more than 30 children's choirs whose members include children from strife-torn provinces, including Maluku and Irian Jaya.
Children are usually the first victims of poverty, political strife and religious conflict. In Indonesia, thousands and thousands of children have survived abuse -- sometimes the struggle leads them to survive on streets, she said, explaining the reason behind the establishment of the choir.
"Children are different, but together they are one and that is exactly the promise of this unique concert. It is a symbol of peace and unity in the midst of a turbulent and divided world," Miranda said.
The choirs participating in the event include Aida Swenson's Indonesian Children's Choir, the Pelita Harapan School Choir, SLTP Al-Izhar Instrumental Group, Sanggar Akar Choir, Makassar Children's Choir, Ambon Children's Choir, Sampit-Central Kalimantan Children's Choir, as well as the Jakarta International School Choir, the Gandhi Memorial International School Choir and the Singapore International School Choir.
The concert will be directed by noted Indonesian film director Garin Nugroho, choreographed by Eko Supriyanto, and will present a montage of song and dance.
"The whole thing will be spectacular, more than half of the (Plenary Hall's) ground floor will be turned into a stage, and it will look like a paddy field," Aida said enthusiastically.
Several experienced choirs will perform their own songs in addition to three common songs that will be presented in unison by all the choirs, she added.
One of the songs, Unite Oh Children of the World, was especially written for the concert by Indonesian composer Alfred Simanjuntak, composer of the country's famed march Bangun Pemuda Pemudi (Youths Arise).
Bringing together more than 1,000 children from across the country for the concert is not easy, nor is it inexpensive, as the directors and choreographers have to travel extensively to train choirs from one end of the country to another, Aida said.
She said the concert was lucky enough to have the support of Miranda, as well as Bank Mandiri CEO and president ECW Neloe, PT Indofood Sukses Makmur president Eva R. Hutapea, Femina Group director Pia Alisjahbana, Bank Mega president commissioner Chairul Tanjung, as well as the support of various foreign embassies.
"We will try to make the concert a bi-annual event," Aida said.
Plans to record the concert on VCD were currently underway, Miranda said, with sale proceeds earmarked to help poor and victimized children from all parts of Indonesia participate in the next Children of the World Choir concert.
Children of the World Choir concert will be perform on Oct. 10, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Plenary Hall, Jakarta Convention Center.
Tickets range from Rp 35,000 to Rp 1 million and can be bought from Ibu Dibyo 021-331178, Ibu Elsye Sandjoyo-Tombokan 021- 3455852 or 0811176014, Ibu Linda Lubis-Sundah 021-31904811 or 0811154771, and at major record stores in Jakarta. For more information log on to www.worldchoir.org