Heidi Auwy a talented local harpist

Heidi Auwy a talented local harpist

By Veronica Soediro

JAKARTA (JP): Her face hasn't changed much from when it was splashed across Indonesia by the media more than 10 years ago. So many pictures were published of Indonesia's pioneer harpist Heidi Auwy, mostly of her standing beside her harp looking very angelic.

Heidi was a high school graduate who introduced the harp into Indonesia. At the time it was unpopular in the Indonesian classical world of music. Heidi certainly attracted a high dose of attention.

"Oh, those early years," she commented and waved her hand, as if it was no big deal.

But what she did was a big deal to many. Heidi was an 18-year- old who brought a breath of fresh air into Indonesia's classical music industry. Or to be more precise, Heidi and her harp did. She introduced the uncommon classical instrument, and made its sound more accessible to the public. She made sure of that by participating in many performances. At the time though, she felt a little disheartened.

"There was no harpist, no teacher, nothing," she said in a recent interview with The Jakarta Post. "I was rather disappointed as I wanted to continue learning the harp."

Born on 23 October 1962 in Bern, Switzerland, Heidi spent most of her life traveling the world, following her father who was a diplomat. The years of travel left her fluent in four languages. But it was her Canadian mother from whom she got her musical talent. Her mother is a professional pianist and comes from a long line of musically talented people. "Even my great-great- granduncle, Ernest Gavigne was a composer. I suppose that's why I always feel classical music is a part of myself." All her siblings must feel the same way, as her eldest sister is a trained opera singer and her younger brother plays a trumpet.

"I started out with a recorder," she said. "Then piano. The harp came not long after that, when I was eight." That was the year little Heidi watched a harpist on television and straight away came running to her mother, claiming "That is my instrument!"

She was too little to remember the harpist's name, but she remembered her long hair... and the beautiful white toga. But ultimately it was the sound of the harp which mesmerized her.

"The sound was amazing," said Heidi. Looking at her wide- opened eyes, it was easy to detect how passionate she still feels about it.

Heidi said she now understands her mother's confusion at the time. Considering her young daughter half the size of a harp, she responded, "Practice your piano well and we'll see."

And from that time forth her mother lost any peace she may have enjoyed in life as little Heidi kept asking about the harp.

Her dream came true when she was 13 years old and the family moved to Bangkok. They met a well known Belgium harpist who resided there, Liere Van Oudhesdem. She became one of the most influential figures in Heidi's life, guiding her through years of learning. She had a two hour lesson with her every Saturday.

"And I still found it very short. Going to the harp lesson was my Saturday outings." She burst out laughing. In just three months she convinced her parents of her determination and that it was time to quit using her teacher's harp and have her own. "My parents already knew that I was serious about it...but I still had to get down on my knees and beg." It was a very expensive instrument as well, costing her parents US$14,000. "But I wanted to have the $100,000 one." She roared with laughter. "Just kidding." In the following years she passed her yearly harp examinations at the Trinity College in Bangkok with distinctions.

Heidi came back to Indonesia in 1982. She instantly ventured on the long, hard path of introducing the harp to Indonesians. "Hard because people really had no idea about it." She was only 18 years old and still learning to cope with ignorance and put- downs. But the hardest part was not being able to find anybody who could help further her harp studies. She alternatively entered the University of Pancasila in Jakarta to study law. "I wanted to do something different, I suppose."

A couple of years later she went to Canada to visit her siblings. There she went to Ottawa University's open day for no apparent reason. She bumped into the head of the music faculty and expressed her desire to further her studies in harp. The university did not teach harp, but the head of the faculty said, "If you have your own harp, I will provide you with teachers and everything else." It was arranged within minutes. All she had to do was audition and provide her credentials. Hence, Heidi started studying harp in Ottawa University. "Those were the days," she smiled from ear to ear. "I was the only student and was spoilt rotten." She stayed in Canada for almost three years and abandoned her legal studies back in Jakarta.

She eventually came back to Indonesia and, according to her, "I was more mature, stronger and much more determined. I knew I could really make a difference." She did a solo concert in Taman Ismail Marzuki in Jakarta. It was her breakthrough into the classical music scene in Indonesia. Afterwards she was invited to perform in various orchestras, television programs and other performances. But churches are her favorite venues because they suit the "angle-like" sound of the harp.

There were only three harpist in Indonesia at the time, herself, Usie Peters and Maya Hassan. One thing that Heidi is justly proud of is her part in cultivating the talent of one of them.

"Maya Hassan contacted me once I got back from Canada. She is my first pupil in Indonesia." She explained that although she had pupils in Canada, "...for some reason it was different in Indonesia. Much more challenging." She regrets the premature growth of the number of harpists in Indonesia and is hoping there will soon be male harpists as well. "Why not?"

Almost 10 years later Heidi is still as idealistic about her music world as ever. She is one of the directors of AKT MUSIC, which is an abbreviation of the organization's directors' surnames: Awuy, Kairupan and Tumbelaka. It is aimed at helping classical music and its musicians in Indonesia achieve international recognition. She and the other directors of AKT MUSIK, who are her brother Eric Awuy, her friend Gus Kairupan and her husband Glenn Tumbelaka, organize education programs, concerts, workshops and masterclasses some of which feature Cecylia Barczyk, one of the world's most renowned cellist.

Heidi also teaches piano and harp privately and at her music school, Bina Bakat Belia.

"I insist on paying individual attention to my students." She explained that back when she was eight, she had a very good teacher who was very sick and made her cry after each lesson.

"I want to emphasize to my students that music is serious and yet fun." She admitted that her career is still under the shadow of her family. Her eldest, Gabriella, is six years old and already playing the piano, although lately she's been asking for a violin. Three-year-old Helena wants to become a harpist but Heidi still has her on the piano as she is too small for a harp. The youngest, Arnold, is not yet one.

The 33-year-old harpist only rarely takes a break. "I take two days off and go window shopping." She paused. "And during that time I don't touch the harp at all."

She instantaneously stopped and looked alarmed, as if the thought of a two-day break from playing her harp was painful. Her unselfconscious, almost child-like devotion to her art was thus captured in a single moment.