Jaya's charity concert to benefit needy children

The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

The upcoming piano recital of noted businessman, TV host and musician Jaya Suprana will certainly delight local music lovers, who rarely view live concerts or music recitals.

Organized by the Bali International Women's Association (BIWA), the charity concert will be held at Paradise Plaza Hotel in Sanur on Saturday night, Dec. 6 to benefit the children who have left school due to the worsening economic situation on the island following the Kuta bombing tragedy.

Jaya Suprana, known for his witty performances as a TV host and a successful businessman running one of Indonesia's prominent herbal factories, will perform a number of his own music compositions, mostly a blend of Western vibratos and Balinese and Javanese ethnic sounds.

As a TV host, Suprana has hosted noted figures, including President Megawati Soekarnoputri, former president Abdurrahman Wahid, dangdut singer Inul Daratista and many others.

Born in Singaraja, North Bali, the accomplished pianist and cartoonist graduated from the Musikhochschule in Muenster and the Folswanghochschule in Essen Germany. He helped to develop Yayasan Pendidikan Musik foundation for music education in Jakarta in l952.

The YPM later became a forum for creative composition, feedback and musical development for younger generations of Indonesian musicians. The foundation also organized a series of classical music concerts at Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center.

The concert program will be divided into three parts.

In the first program, Suprana will perform his own compositions entitled Prakata, Berceuse, Trance, Contemplation Jenang Gula, Fantasi Arum Dalu and Uro-Uro.

In Gita Nusantara part, he will play Javanese songs Yen Ing Tawang Ono Lintang, (If the sky has sparkling stars), Es Lilin (composed by Mang Koko), Warung Pojok (anonymous), Permata Hati and Angin Malam (composed by the late A. Riyanto). He will also play four composition by famous song composers Ismail Marzuki.

Among Marzuki's pieces are Kopral Jono, Rindu, Juwita Malam and Sabda Alam.

In Intermezzo Evergreens part, Suprana will play the Bee Gee's hit I Started a Joke, Crazy (Willy Nelson) and My Way (by Paul Anka).

The concert will be concluded by a music presentation called Indonesia Pustaka.