Traditional marching bands now popular

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.