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.