Suar Festival Transforms Folklore into Orchestral Music with Government Support
Magelang (ANTARA) - The Suar Festival 2026 in Pendem Hamlet, Banaran Village, Magelang Regency, Central Java, presented folklore through orchestral music on Sunday afternoon, supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP), and the Indonesiana Fund.
Magelang Regent Grengseng Pamuji stated that many things can serve as examples, and today’s tradition, which sometimes is attempted to be uprooted to suit the times, is instead presented as a modern orchestral work that draws upon past traditions and knowledge.
The festival, set against the backdrop of Mount Andong in a vegetable farming area, had been in preparation for three months, involving an incubation process, discussions on folklore, and music and literature workshops.
He expressed hope that the collaboration behind the event would demonstrate the majesty of local civilisation and inspire future generations, artists, and cultural practitioners to be innovative. Culture, he said, as the result of all human endeavour, encompasses various forms of creativity that become the ‘patent’ of a community, manifested in all aspects of life.
‘I believe that with free expression, extraordinary innovation, and a spirit that continues to resonate, a new civilisation will eventually emerge for future generations,’ he remarked.
During the event, also attended by Magelang City DPRD Chair Evin Septa Haryanto Kamil, he noted that a civilisation emerges and endures through knowledge. ‘But with knowledge alone, civilisation will feel rigid. Therefore, culture, art, and all their creations as forms of interaction and innovation from all components of society in life are what refine the achievements of knowledge, so that they can present a civilisation that is timeless,’ he said.
Festival initiator and composer Ryan Ajayanto explained that the festival involved processing folklore into popular music performances through a three-month collaborative process. ‘It is about fairy tales and folklore being processed into popular music performances, providing a new space for the younger generation to access folk stories,’ said the conductor of the ‘Janantika’ orchestra, which accompanied the musical works at the festival.
He elaborated on the relationship between poetry, sound, local context, and the introduction of affection within the musical works presented. The event also featured a dialogue session with speakers Ryan Ajayanto and journalist Shindu Alpito, and showcased musical works based on folklore, including ‘Bedayan’ about dance (Sanggar Nitinari and Bedheswati), ‘Aphoria’ about Dusun Tanten in Grabag District (Niken Reswari), and ‘Di Beranda Fajar’ based on Serat Centini (Kartika Sari).
Other performances included ‘Sri Tanjung’ sourced from a poem by West Java poet Peri Sandi (Rama Barrack), ‘Ayun’ about the name Sumbu Mas before it became Dusun Pendem (Lintang Andaru and Rendi Gilang), and ‘Makukuhan’ about the figure Ki Ageng Makukuhan in Temanggung (Isa Atmasaka and Ziko Prabowo). Additional performances under the production leadership of Nabila Rivani included the songs ‘Tak Sempat Pulang’ (Rama Barrack), ‘Lagu 8’ (Band MUsufer), and ‘Heimat’ (Kelompok Bedheswati).