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).