Traditional marching bands now popular

Kadek Suartaya, Contributor, Denpasar, Bali

The traditional marching bands known as Adi Merdangga has now gained a special place in the heart of young Balinese with a flourishing number of such elaborate and energetic bands in the island's regencies.

During the recent opening of the ongoing Bali Arts Festival, eight regencies showed off their musical and dancing talent accentuated by their glamorous costumes.

Jembrana regency in West Bali presented an Adi Merdangga group of 50 musicians and dancers playing traditional drums kendang, ceng-ceng (cymbals) and traditional wind instrument called preret. A group from Tabanan regency focused more on rhythmical musical bamboo instruments called tektekan.

In the ceremony, the Adi Merdangga groups really stole the attention of thousands of audience not only with their colorful and glittering costumes but also with their simultaneous and harmonious movements and music.

During the performance, dozens of young, nubile female dancers further added to the attraction with the carefully choreographed dances.

Inspired by the traditional bleganjur traditional orchestra, the marching band incorporates various musical instruments like bamboo instruments angklung, percussions and cymbals, thus giving a modern touch of the traditional orchestra.

Bleganjur traditional orchestra was usually performed during a cremation ceremony for the dead. Presently, bleganjur has transformed into a more profane performance with bits and pieces of musical innovation.

The idea to give a modern touch to Balinese music and art performance came from former governor and scholar Ida Bagus Mantra. Then, he asked artists and scholars from the Denpasar Arts Institute (STSI) to create a fresh and creative performance which blended both modern and traditional musical elements.

To enrich the bleganjur, students and lecturers of STSI created a more elaborate marching band adding dozens of bamboo flute players, percussionists and drums.

The result was amazing. The music became both rich and rhythmical.

Adi Merdangga marching bands have already performed at various national and regional events, such as during the Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta a few years back.

Now, the once old and traditional orchestra attracts many young Balinese with almost every university in the province having its own Adi Merdangga marching band.

Each year, different institutions hold bleganjur or Adi Merdangga competitions to seek new and fresh talent. Music of bleganjur and Adi Merdangga marching bands have even been recorded on cassettes, CDs and VCDs.

During the festival's opening ceremony, Adi Merdangga marching bands from STSI presented an enchanting music and dance show. Titled Indonesia Adi Negeri (Indonesia, the Great Nation), hundreds of female dancers swayed their bodies elegantly to the music while male dancers marched and carried long spears and large umbrellas. All in all, a real feast of entertainment for the appreciative audiences.