John Paul
Program Notes: Haydn’s “The Creation”
Pinpointing the moment when the creation of The Creation began can be as tricky as determining the precise moment in time that our universe was born. String quartets by Joseph Haydn. Photo courtesy of Staats Museum, Vienna/NOW!JAKARTA Even the word ‘born’ can be problematic as birth is hardly the beginning of existence. There’s also the fact that the identity of
Music of Love: Concerts in February
If I were to mention an Indonesian choir that has won top prizes at various choral competitions in Europe, many if not most of us would immediately think it was a reference to, well, that one single choir you are now thinking of. Granted, regular readers would be aware that there are in fact several
August Concerts
The Resonanz Children’s Choir (TRCC), led by renowned choir director Devi Francisca, made headlines last month with their victory at the Claudio Monteverdi Choral Competition in Venice, Italy, winning first prize in the Children’s and Youth Choir category as well as the Grand Prix as the best choir overall. In fact, a number of Indonesian
September Soirees
Concert-goers in Jakarta can look forward to the best of the best in this star-studded September featuring concerts by Pascal Roge and Tim Kuypers. Dutch baritone Tim Kuypers did his Master of Opera at the conservatoire of Amsterdam and was a member of the Studio of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, one of the
Jakarta Concerts in March
May March be a time of celebration for decent Jakartans. Hopefully, the following recommended concerts need not be any form of consolation. Violin Concerto Singaporean violinist Jun Hong Loh has won numerous awards, including most notably 1st Prize at Gisborne International Music Competition as well as 1st Prize and Audience award at the Atlantic Symphony
May Monsters for Music Maniacs
Attention Jakarta! A Monster is upon us! This is not a drill. Described by USA Today as a “Big Fat Hit!” and the Sunday Telegraph as “Shrektacular!” Help! Help us get tickets… The English language production of SHREK THE MUSICAL with the book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize®winner David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori as well as
Concerts En Juin
French pianist Jean-Louis Haguenauer will visit Jakarta and perform at the Soehanna Hall (Energy Building) on Sunday, 5th of June at 4 p.m. This concert is made possible through the collaboration between Institut Francais d’Indonesie (IFI), The Ananda Sukarlan Center and Soehanna Hall. Jean-Louis Haguenauer has performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States, appearing
Jakarta Concerts in May
It may be interesting to note that a “historically accurate” performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no.3 in C minor opus 37 entails the pianist to perform from memory, reading a mostly empty score containing what appear to be Egyptian hieroglyphs here and there, serving as clues intelligible only to the performer while giving secret glances at
Summer Vacation Inspiration for Music Lovers
Jakarta music lovers are in for a treat thanks in part to the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra’s courage to tackle Schubert’s challenging Symphony No.9, called the ‘Great’ for good reason. Date/Time: 10 June, 5 pm Venue: Aula Simfonia Jakarta Programme: Fugue in G minor BWV 578 (J.S. Bach); Piano Concerto Op.16 (Grieg); Symphony No. 9, D.944,
Jakarta Concerts in August
Which great musical or literary figure has never produced a work inspired directly or indirectly by Goethe’s Faust? Heinrich Heine, has been quoted as saying that every person should write a Faust, and he did write his. Beethoven, Wagner, Berlioz, Schumann, Lizst, Sarasate all did too, and the list goes on. The first written record of
Meet Indonesia’s Creative Souls
When it comes to art and creativity, Indonesia is a real treasure trove. Meet some of these inspiring, creative souls who have left a lasting impression in their respective genres – and will hopefully continue to do so. Rizal Iwan THEATRE Indonesian actor Rizal Iwan is a rising force in the local performance arts, who
La Pavana Comes to Bandung
There are many theories regarding the origin of the slow processional dance of 16th- and 17th-century Europe, the Pavane. Typically, the debate sways between Spanish (pavón) or Italian (derived from a town or dialect in Padova) roots. Perhaps the most interesting is one which suggests that it was introduced into the Spanish courts by the
Interview with Robert Nordling, Music Director of The Bandung Philharmonic
Many, if not most music directors of Indonesian orchestras seem to begin by considering the public’s existing preferences in determining the orchestra’s musical direction. Instead, based on an observation of past and future concert programs, you seem to have begun with an ideal and expect the rest to follow. Why? How would you define the