Young composers demonstrate talents at 'reform' festival

Young composers demonstrate talents at 'reform' festival

By Zoel Mistortoify

SURAKARTA (JP): Some people in Surakarta (Solo), which was
severely damaged by riots in May, could for awhile forget about
the bitter incident when a special cultural event was held here.

From Sept. 5 to Sept. 10, Surakarta once again recorded a
significant moment in the Indonesian contemporary music world
through the September Music Gathering.

Twenty-one "young" composers -- the second generation after
Slamet Abdul Sjukur's era -- presented their works, which were
more bold, honest and moderate, in the sense that their work
could be relatively accepted by a larger community.

The festival was held in an atmosphere of the reform spirit,
with which the country has been abuzz. Even though the occasion
was not held specifically in recognition of reform, the idea
contained in the works reflected the country's latest phase.

Besides the concerts, there was also an exhibition of
contemporary music instruments and a discussion featuring, among
others, Suka Hardjana, Sardono W. Kusumo and Djaduk Ferianto.

The six-day event was held by Jamus, the Surakarta Music
Network, in cooperation with the Surakarta Cultural Center, and
MATaYA Performing Arts Network and Indonesia Performing Arts
Society.

Jamus coordinator I Wayan Sadra, who is also a senior
contemporary musician, underlined the importance of the September
Music Gathering as a place for young composers to demonstrate
their talent. So far, only senior composers have had the chance
to perform in big contemporary music events such as at Composers
Week in Jakarta.

For four nights, participants staged their works, which were
mostly colored by the adoption and synthesis of cross-cultural
music from several ethnic groups in the country. This was shown
not only in the instruments they used, but also in the more
important aspects: the arrangement of the compositions. All of
this was certainly an interesting symptom to be further observed.

Some composers who clearly combined themes from various music
traditions were Muriah Budiarti from Surakarta (the only woman
composer in this event) with Lentrih II or Lesu (Flimsy), trio
composers Gunarto, Ade Kholiq and Rudi Sulistanto, also from
Surakarta, with 3 Terkawin (3 Married), and Pardiman from
Yogyakarta with Njeplak Tung Tung or Asal Ngomong (Bubble Talk)
in a humorous a cappella composition.

Other compositions were still rooted in basic tradition, such
as the work of Dedy Satyananda from Bandung, Basri B. Sila from
Ujungpandang and Elizar Koto from Padang, while Irwansyah Harahap
from Medan preferred to have a world cross-cultural music
approach between Malay and India.

There were also composers who gave leeway in their work
approach by making use of various ethnical elements with jazz,
pop, classic, neo-tradition or any other kind of music, such as
found in the work of Agus Bing and Bambang SP from Surabaya,
Azied Dewa and SP Joko from Yogyakarta and Purwa Askanta from
Surakarta.

A rather different performance was presented by Fahmi Alatas
from Jakarta and I Gede Yudana from Bali, who used only a
keyboard as their medium of expression.

These future composers' works clearly showed that traditional
music is really needed as a basic element and has even started to
become part of the music trend.

It was not too much then when Djaduk Ferianto, in a discussion
on the first day of the event, said that "traditional music has
been accepted by the people as a new trend". He made the
statement not only because Djaduk and his Kua Etnika group
managed to enter the music industry and television, but also
because he has a sharp perception of today's market trend.

This September Music Gathering itself has proven the truth of
his statement that ethnic music strongly influences the work of
our young composers. The elements in traditional music were
obviously the sources of inspiration in almost all of the works,
which were implemented either enormously or voguishly.

However, like some contemporary music, not all works were well
accepted by the audience. Some regarded them as absurd, torturing
and even naive or disturbing. Annoyed, one audience member said
in the discussion on music: "If your work is meant to be
performed for the people, don't be selfish and say 'this is
it... this is my work'."