What does Jakarta need to do in order to be recognised as a cultural city? In this opinion series, NOW! Jakarta hears from the leaders of the city’s artistic institutions to gain insight into fosteringand developing specific areas of culture. Nathania Karina of TRUST Orchestra talks to us about music.
Nathania Karina and the Trinity Youth Symphony Orchestra (TRUST) are on a mission to transform the experience and presentation of orchestral music in Jakarta. By breaking boundaries and appealing to modern tastes they hope to make orchestras more accessible and enjoyable for a wider audience.
Orchestral music is not widespread in Indonesia, long enjoyed by only a select few fortunate enough to have access to or have a taste for this genre of musical performance. Performers undoubtedly desire more people to appreciate or enjoy their work, but how can this be achieved? How can interest be fostered and cultivated in a city like Jakarta?
Nathania and TRUST wanted to bring down this divisive perceptions, and one way to do that was to bring orchestral music into public and communal spaces. On several occasions, Nathania brought TRUST to perform at Balaikota (City Hall) in front of Monas, and small performances at TransJakarta bus stops. This was to inspire curiosity and foster inclusivity, to say ‘this music is for everyone.’
For more than ten years, Nathania Karina has served as a music director and resident conductor for TRUST, a non-profit orchestra organisation consisting of Jakarta’s finest young talents. This is a highly-achieved group, winning Gold Medal at the World Orchestra Festival 2019 in Vienna, and touring internationally, like their 2024 performances at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, The Queen’s Hall during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and All Soul’s Church, London. Despite this, their shared dream has been to increase interest locally in Indonesia, to democratise orchestral music and change its perception as being an exclusive, expensive art form —which in the past has certainly affected interest.
Their efforts were well rewarded, as public enthusiasm for concerts in Jakarta surged in 2024. “Orchestra concerts in Jakarta are usually only watched by around 400 people, despite Jakarta’s population of more than 10 million residents. A small percentage. But with the four concerts that we did in 2024, there 200,000 people competing for tickets. Gone in 15 minutes. It was a ticket war, like a K-Pop concert!” Nathania goes on to say that she found at least 90% of those attending were new audiences, showing an increased interest from the general public.
Nathania, also the first female conductor to lead the prestigious Gita Bahana Nusantara during Independence Day celebrations at Istana Merdeka, found that enticing new audiences requires identifying trends and interests, making the music relevant to them. “The choice of theme is significant. People like Harry Potter, others like K-Pop, so we use these themes and repackage this into the orchestral experience.” These are effective ‘gateways’ into this genre of musical performance.
With a growing interest, Nathania hopes to use the momentum to showcase Jakarta’s own Betawi culture, often overshadowed by contemporary or global trends. “The younger generation don’t know what Gambang Kromong is, or Betawi folk songs like Jali-Jali or Sirih Kuning. This year, I plan to make an album of Indonesian folk songs that define the nation’s identity, but we will make it as relevant as possible. We also plan to make a dangdut orchestral performance. I feel that this is my duty as a musician,” she closes. Nathania and TRUST hope to see more outdoor orchestral music events, relevant to all, thus fostering shared experiences among Jakarta’s residents.
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Read more in the series: Why Jakarta Needs….
Art Communities, with Ayu Utami | Cultural Collaboration, with Bambang Prihadi | Contemporary Art, with Venus Lau | Music, with Nathania Karina | Literature, with Laura Prinsloo
