Classical music scene remains a vibrant niche

One among many recommendations issued during the annual meeting of the Youth Music Orchestra (JMI), an international organization that promotes classical music to young people, was that JMI affiliates in member countries should go online to promote as many classical works as possible.

Such a recommendation is a telling indication that rather than preaching only to the converted -- namely playing to those who are already well-acquainted with classical music -- promoters and musicians alike should exhibit more of their work to the general public.

The JMI and its new strategy represent one group in the classical music world, those who strive to promote the genre to the fullest as opposed to puritans, who cry foul whenever classical music is promoted for the masses to enjoy.

The latter groups for instance, have denounced crossover performers such as Vanessa Mae or British Trio Bond, whose modernist instrumentals make pop of classical music.

However, it is these two opposing tendencies that have made the classical scene in the capital interesting this year.

Composer Adhie M.S. of the Twilite Orchestra for instance is among those who believe that classical music is for everyone to enjoy.

Twice this year, Adhie, along with his orchestra, performed in concerts featuring music from popular culture.

In September, the Twilite Orchestra performed music from Teguh Karya's films.

Most of the songs from Teguh's films such as Badai Pasti Berlalu (The Storm Will Pass) and Matahari (Sun), which in themselves are orchestra-ready, were brought to full majesty by the Twilite Orchestra.

For the performance, Adhie invited opera singers Christopher Abimanyu, Aning Katamsi and Berliana Hutauruk to sing onstage, creating the morose atmosphere that Teguh wanted for his films.

It was a full house at concert venue Balai Sarbini with even the most unlikely of celebrities putting in an appearance.

Two months later, at the same venue, the Twilite Orchestra staged another classical-pop concert.

This time, the orchestra rehashed tunes from sci-fi films, like George Lucas' Star Wars, Stanley Kubrick's 2001: Space Odyssey and hit TV series Star Trek.

Adhie had apparently obtained, in preparation for the concert, original copies of the sheet music used by Star Wars music director John Williams.

Aficionados

At the other end of the continuum, however, there were those who stayed true to the classical music ideal of performing for a small circle of "educated listeners".

With little fanfare, these classical music aficionados took pains to invite world-class musicians to perform, with limited resources at their disposal.

In July, the city's Vienna Music Conservatory had the honor of staging a piano concert by Esther Budiharjo, an award-winning pianist.

Budiharjo -- who was born 33 years ago in Cawang, East Jakarta, and graduated from the Boston-based New England Conservatory of Music -- delivered a riveting performance at the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ).

The GKJ, on its part, deserves credit for being one among cultural institutions that support the classical scene. The others being the Dutch cultural center, Erasmus Huis, and the German cultural center, Goethe Haus.

For the 478th anniversary of Jakarta, the GKJ was the venue of two concerts from Italian classical guitarist Stefano Cardi and pianist Adela Martin.

In spite of the city's menacing traffic congestion and limited publicity from the organizer, the GKJ was full to capacity for both performances.

Then there was the Guitar Maestro Series, a four-month series organized by Sudirman Leman.

A number of world-class guitarists including Canadian Alvaro Pieri and Italian Aniello Desiderio performed over the months.

The performance of Desiderio on Dec. 1 was a revelation.

His flamenco-inspired music was as tonally rich as it was complex.

Another noteworthy classical series was the Chamber Music Series, which kicked off on Oct. 24.

Bringing together consummate musicians from both here and abroad, the series was the stuff of dreams for classical music lovers.

Who could resist the country's leading soprano Binu D. Sukaman, trumpeter Eric Awuy and Japanese pianist Miwako Fukushi -- all household names in Jakarta's classical music circle.

The series opened with a performance from a group of European instrumentalists, the Akademia Quartet.

The best in the series is yet to come.

The European Camerata chamber music orchestra will perform in May -- standing, and with no conductor, we are told.

Next year holds much in store, both for those who like their Mozart straight up and those for whom a contemporary take on the classics appeals.

(M Taufiqurrahman)