Eindhoven Angklung Music Concert Amaze the Dutch in Frits Philips Eindhoven

For the first time, Eindhoven Angklung under the direction of Desiree Abdurrachim with 18 angklung players held a traditional Indonesian instrument concert in Frits Philips Eindhoven Music Hall with the theme “van Verdelen tot Heden – from past to present” last Saturday (9/06).

Namely: Ade Gunawan; Airlangga Adi Hermawan; Alia Deidranita; Belinda Febrianie; Bernadeth Juami Sutedjo; Burhannudin Sutisna; Choirunnisa Hapsari; Cintya Maylisa Teunisse; Daniel Dimitri Denny Damara; Elva Fitriani; Friso Wieringa; James Panjaitan; Josephine Chrisiani; Nabil Ishak; Ni Nyoman Ayu Ariani-Wolff; Rizki Armanto mangkkuto; and Xuchen Wang, and cellist Arnaud Setio, bass player Joz Bruggeman and Reyhan Zanis, cymbal player Sisdarmanto Adinandra, and keyboard playerJohn Siem, directed by conductor Ida Soesanti, managed to hypnotize 200 members of the audience with their classical songs, Indonesian traditional songs, popular Dutch songs and other International songs.

Also contributing in the concert was soloist Dody Soetanto (baritone) and Willem de Beer (baritone), both from the music conservatory in Utrecht and the Ladies Choir. The classical song performed was Minuet in G–BWV 114 by Johann Sebastian Bach; An der Schonen Blauen Donau by Johann Strauss; Swan Lake by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky; Avant de Quitter ces Lieux by Charles Gounod; Va Pensiero by Guiseppe Verdi; Funiculi Funicula by Luigi Denza.

The Indonesian songs performed in the concert were Lalayaran; Nona Manis; Ayo Mama; Rasa Sayange; Yamko Rambe Yamko; and Janger performed in the company of the 3 dancers staging the Janger Balinese dance.

Wheras the pop Dutch and International songs that were performed were Any Dream Will Do by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice; I Have A Dream by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus; We Are the Champion by Verdy Mercury; Brabant by Guus Meeuwis and Jan Willem Rozenboom; Tulpen Uit Amsterdam by Ralf Arnie; and New York New York by John Kander and Fred Ebb.

Conductor Ida Susanti is an Indonesian student who is completing her master degree in International Management of Information System and has accomplished grade 8 in the field of sound art from the Royal School of Music. Since 2010, Ida has served as a conductor and a choir instructor and won several international choir competitions.

The concert proceeded lively and received a warm welcome from Indonesian music observers as well as the Dutch community and the general public. (The Indonesian Embassy in The Hague/Ed. PY)