Lia learns to sing Javanese songs

Lia learns to sing Javanese songs

JAKARTA: Beside playing the role as Rano Karno's girlfriend,
Sarah, in the seventh installment of Si Doel Anak Sekolahan TV
series, Cornelia Agatha has been busy sharpening her singing
skill in tembang (Javanese ethnic songs).

In her newest venture with S. Kardjono's Gitawrta Saijah dan
Adinda (Dance and song Saijah and Adinda), the 29-year-old has to
explore the Javanese pentatonic scale.

"My mother comes from Solo (Surakarta, Central Java), and she
loves to listen to Javanese songs, so I am familiar with the
songs. I just can't speak the language, that's all," Lia, as she
is usually called, said.

Trained by Kardjono himself, Lia said that she had no trouble
singing tembang, especially as she doesn't have to sing in
Javanese.

"It's easier for me because I've been given the part of a
Dutch person, so my singing will be Indonesian with a Dutch
accent. And the song isn't one with such complicated tones," she
said. The she sang a short extract of a tembang.

Saijah dan Adinda will open on Sept. 24, 2002, at Gedung
Kesenian Jakarta.--JP

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People-India.Arie
India.Arie sees power of music
JP/20/GUESS

India.Arie sees power of music

LOS ANGELES: India.Arie, the neo-soul singer nominated for
seven Grammy Awards earlier this year, said the response of
audiences after Sept. 11 reinforced her belief in the power of
music.

"I always felt that music had this special power, but it was
mostly a theory -- until I started seeing it for myself," said
Arie, 26. "There's a connection that you can feel on stage and in
talking to people about music -- and that's especially true after
Sept. 11."

Arie, who takes her inspiration from singer-songwriters like
Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and Bill Withers, said she
channeled her post-Sept. 11 feelings into Voyage to India, a new
album with a strong spiritual edge.--AP