Mega-show on offer showcasing traditional RI music

Mega-show on offer showcasing traditional RI music

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Concern about the diminishing appeal of the country's
traditional music has led a group of artists and musicians to
stage a performance of songs from indigenous cultures in a star-
studded show.

The event, Megalitikum Kuantum, to be performed at the Plenary
Hall at the Jakarta Convention Center on June 29 and June 30,
will feature an ensemble playing a series of traditional
instruments, including the Sasando from East Nusa Tenggara, the
Sampek from East Kalimantan, percussion from Banyuwangi, East
Java. The show will be augmented with modern music from the
country's top-notch jazz musicians, including Indra Lesmana and
Dwiki Dharmawan.

Staged to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Kompas daily
newspaper, organizers have also invited popular singers such as
diva Kris Dayanti, teen pop singer Agnes Monica, dangdut singer
Iyeth Bustami and Candil, the vocalist for glam rock band
Serieus, to perform their own versions of traditional songs.

Megalitikum will also have a classical touch, with a
performance of traditional Javanese compositions from Indonesia's
most famous classically trained harp player, Maya Hassan.

Musical director Rizaldi Siagian said the Megalitikum was the
result of a year-long field trip to find traditional music from
locations like Nias, Kutai and East Nusa Tenggara and bring the
songs out of obscurity.

"During the trip we learned that these traditional forms of
art were on the brink of extinction because traditional musicians
hadn't had the chance to pass (their skills) on to the next
generation," Rizaldi said.

As part of the trip, Rizaldi set up a team of researchers to
collect data on the traditional music and make a documentary film
recording how the music was performed in its original context.

The documentary on Nias traditional music was shot late last
year a few days before the devastating Dec. 26 tsunami.

Rizaldi said he had briefed all contemporary musicians about
how to get into the groove of the traditional tunes.

Indra said that marrying traditional and modern music proved
to be an uphill struggle. "It took me a month only to get into
the composition's mood," he said.

Indra is scheduled to collaborate with musician I Wayan Rai
performing the Balinese jejog, a form of traditional music played
with bamboo instruments.

A highlight of the event is likely to be a collaboration
between arranger Dwiki Dharmawan and traditional Javanese music
composer Rahayu Supanggah, performing a rendition of one of
Java's most revered traditional compositions, Ketawang
Puspowarno, which critics say represents the apex of Javanese
high art.

Ketawang, along with traditional music around the world and
tunes from the Beatles and Western classical composer Sebastian
Bach, was included in the Voyager Interstellar Recording attached
to both the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft that were launched
into outer space on Aug. 20 and Sept. 5, 1977.

Dwiki will also perform other traditional songs from West
Java.

Kompas publisher Jakob Oetama hoped that Megalitikum Kuantum
would eventually tour overseas, introducing the world to
Indonesian music.

Tickets are available at: Ibu Dibyo (310 0386), Aquarius Pondok
Indah (723 8756), Gramedia Mal Taman Anggrek (5699 9488).