Commissioned Works by the Bandung Philharmonic

Nagara Kertagama by Singgih Sanjaya

Premiered Sunday, 25 September 2016 @ Teater Tertutup Dago Tea House

"Titled after the source of inspiration, Sanjaya’s epic symphonic poem Nagara Krtagama explores many facets of the orchestra medium. Like the fourteenth century poem completed by Mpu Prapañca recounting the East Javanese Kingdom of Majapahit and its conquests, the work is structured by dividing the work into numerous sections producing a continuously developing narrative. Nagara Krtagama depicts intense and dramatic moments as well as lush melodious sections that continue to propel this work until its culmination and inevitable end."

Curator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc6YsfbU4Eo&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Es Lilin by Ni Mursih arr. Fauzie Wiriadisastra

Premiered Sunday, 25 September 2016 @ Teater Tertutup Dago Tea House

"Wiriadisastra’s arrangement of Ni Mursih’s popular Sunda song,Es Lilin, features kacapi (zither), angklung, cello, and orchestra. This commission by the Bandung Philharmonic represents of the importance of community involvement in the orchestra. Es Lilin features a newly crafted angklung by Bandung’s angklung maestro, Handiman. The result of this collaboration is a sentimental and beautiful mixture of Sunda Indonesia and the orchestral medium."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0z1y_ITEqw&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Borobudur by Budhi Ngurah

Premiered Saturday, 14 January 2017 @ Teater Tertutup Dago Tea House

"The inspiration for the Borobudur composition was my impressions of Borobudur Temple, which has three layers from bottom to top: Kamadhatu, Rupadhatu and Arupadhatu.The lower layer is the largest and the smallest is the top one. This is why we use a long musical form (colotomic cycle), repeated themes with small changes (minimal elements)."

Budhi Ngurah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndJqLecP7H0&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Beethoven di Bandung by Marisa Sharon Hartanto

Premiered Sunday, 30 April 2017 @ Gedung Budaya Sabilulungan

"This work was inspired and is a musical response to the first part of Beethoven's Symphony No. 6. This work was written for Bandung Philharmonic for a concert of Beethoven, during which it was premiered. The author tries to imagine what the very Ludwig van Beethoven himself might have heard had he taken a jaunt in Bandung, West Java. Starting from the breeze, the sonic spectra of angklung and gamelan, the atmosphere of the tropical rain, birds singing, crickets chirping, even the banging of kentongan by itinerant food hawkers, the fuss and boisterous noise of Bandung's chaotic traffic."

Marisa Sharon Hartanto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f202sPThjbI&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Suvenir dari Minangkabau by Arya Pugala Kitti

Premiered Wednesday, 23 August 2017 @ Teater Tertutup Dago Tea House
*  Winner of the 1st Young Indonesian Composer Competition 2017

The Souvenir From Minangkabau” was born from the drive to lift the arts of the Indonesian people to a field that can be more widely appreciated, as well as to develop its potential as orchestral music material. This work has semi-abstract relationship with traditional Minang dance music, introducing new colors and harmonies that are categorized as modern. The use of 12 tones as in Western music's tonality - unlike the original music - allows for a more expansive exploitation of harmony.

The Souvenir opens with a lively and joyful introduction, then immediately followed by a brass instrument that carries the first theme, with the implementation of an energetic and accented rhythmic motif and polyphonic texture. The early part of this work was inspired by the lively and celebratory characteristics of Minang dance music, with percussive nuances created by the different sections of the orchestra. After the initial section is closed with a short violin solo, a new, contemplative-sounding melody emerges from the wind instrument with the background of the string passage from the string section. The combination of these inflatable tools is made to produce a timbre that mimics the accordion. The inspiration of this part came from thr slow, narrative, and often lyrical music of Minang. This work is concluded with solid harmony, brought to life through a rhythmic pattern that imitates the tambourine.

Arya Pugala Kitti

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNmZ5yyv6WM&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Aki Manggul Awi by Tan De Seng arr. Fauzie Wiriadisastra

Premiered Saturday, 27 January 2018 @ Hilton Bandung

"Aki Manggul Awi (“Old Man Hauling Bamboos”) is one of Tan De Seng’s Panambih Tembang Sunda (Sundanese Classical Music) which was then arranged by Fauzie Wiriadisastra into a wind ensemble work. Aside from being one of the young composers/conductors in Bandung, Wiriadisastra is also a talented multi-instrumentalist whose ingenuity in this piece is apparent.

Though no actual gong or gamelan were used, their unique sound characteristics will be imitated by other instruments with complete Sundanese tonality, Pelog Degung (Sundanese music scale), and Cengkok (Sundanese ornaments). This piece depicts an old man working very hard to feed his family. On some remote areas in Indonesia, men as old as 70 years old cross dangerous tracks while hauling up to 100 kilograms of heavy objects on their frail backs – for measly wage. Harrowing indeed – but isn’t it true that sacrifice is also a form of love for families?"

Fauzie Wiriadisastra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlKhQ4omIE8&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Krakatoa: Concerto for Viola and Orchestra by Stacy Garrop

Premiered Saturday, 27 January 2018 @ Hilton Bandung
*  Commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University.

"Krakatoa for solo viola, strings, and percussion follows the path of the volcano’s four main eruptions. In the first movement, Imminent, the violist uneasily plays as the orchestra (representing the volcano) shows ever-increasing signs of awakening. The orchestra bursts forth into the second movement, Eruption, where it proceeds through four eruptions that get progressively more cataclysmic. After the final and most violent eruption, the violist plays a cadenza that eases the volcano into the third movement, Dormant.

In this final movement, the volcano slumbers, with a hint of Anak Krakatau forming under the sea. The movement ends peacefully with an array of string harmonics, representing the intense and brilliantly colored sunsets generated by Krakatoa’s ash in the earth’s atmosphere. Krakatoa was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University."

Stacy Garrop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1TPdwHLuMw




Gerbang Nias by Nathan Paul Iskandar

Premiered Saturday, 28 April 2018 @ Teater Tertutup Dago Tea House

"The 'Gate of Nias' was inspired by 'Fame'e Afo', a traditional dance for welcoming guests in Nias Island. The native islanders of Nias are well known for being very welcoming to visitors.

'Fame'e Afo', also known as the famous welcome dance, features a seven-D-D-E-D-D-E motif that is played continuously as a basic pattern accompaniment for the whole music. Composed in 2017, Iskandar was interested in establishing the seven notes motif into an arrangement of six notes, namely D-D-E-E-D-D, which also serves as an archetype for the whole work.Orchestrated with a contemporary classic style, he is bringing the modern aspects of traditional Indonesian elements into the 21st century.He hopes to encourage young Indonesian listeners to appreciate the traditional value of their Motherland."

Nathan Paul Iskandar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TrUL1Idg5o&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Ngasirah by Marisa Sharon Hartanto

Premiered Sunday, 23 September 2018 @ Hilton Bandung

This is a piece about Raden Adjeng Kartini’s life from the point of view of her biological mother, Ngasirah. Ngasirah was married to Sosroningrat, district chief of Mayong in Java. Although Ngasirah was Sosroningrat’s first wife, she was considered not as the garwa padmi (main wife), but the garwa ampil (concubine) instead. However, Kartini became a member of nobility and was treated like a princess due to patriarchy. The sad thing is, Little Kartini had to sleep separately from her birth mother from the age of 4 simply because their different social status. The rules also required Kartini and all her siblings to call their own mother “Yu” (maid) and not “Ibu” (mother or respected lady) and also for Ngasirah to address her own daughter using a title for people of higher status, calling her “Ndoro” (princess).

Marisa Sharon Hartanto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDUsKTffw7o&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Overture in D major by Filipus Wisnumurti

Premiered Sunday, 02 December 2018 @ Hilton Bandung

*  Winner of the 2nd Young Indonesian Composer Competition

Overture in D Mayor is Filipus Wisnumurti first composition for Brass Ensemble. Overture means opening song that usually used for the opening of Ballet Opera. But now, overture also uses for the opening of Concert. This composition is a concert opener with a form of Sonata. The work itself has a bright character and simple melody which describes our happy expressions when welcoming holidays.

Curator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnY0XrzMPIc&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Dance of the Water Lily by Aksan Sjuman

Premiered Saturday, 02 February 2019 @ Hilton Bandung

Dance of the Water Lily is written by a distinguished Indonesian musician and film director, Aksan Sjuman, who is also known as Wong Aksan. After finishing his jazz music study from Germany and also become a seasoned drummer, made Dance of the Water Lily has a particularly rhythmic sound. The Harmony in this music could make the audience feels so lively and energized in accordance to the title of this music.

Curator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bh665Bc2HI&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Terbangnya Burung by Arya Brahmantya Boga

Premiered Sabtu, 30 November 2019 @ Hilton Bandung

*  Winner of the 3rd Young Indonesian Composer Competition

Semua berawal ketika Arya Brahmantya Boga (1993-sekarang) secara tidak sengaja menemukan poster Kompetisi Komponis Muda Indonesia 2019 di media sosial. Seketika sang komponis merasa tertantang untuk menggubah komposisi yang didasarkan pada puisi berjudul Terbangnya Burung oleh Sapardi Djoko Damono (1940-sekarang) walaupun waktu yang tersisa hanya sekitar 3 minggu. Teman karib Arya yakni Audrey dan Tyo amat membantu sang komponis dalam mengerti puisi ini dengan saling bercurah pendapat, bersama dengan inspirasi dari Hujan Bulan Juni (film yang dibuat berdasarkan karya Sapardi yang lain).

Sang komponis menafsirkan puisi ini sebagai kisah seseorang yang dengan rela melepaskan kekasihnya dari kekangan; layaknya burung yang mengangkasa bebas dimana tak seorang pun, bahkan burung itu sendiri, mengetahui kemana tujuannya. Terkadang, seseorang harus rela melepaskan; memberikan kebebasan total kepada yang terkasih itu tanpa mengetahui apa yang dia pikirkan atau rasakan walaupun tak urung rasa gelisah akan hubungan mereka. Sama seperti sang pujangga mengukirkan kata-kata menggugah dalam puisinya, karya ini akan membangkitkan pelbagai emosi kental yang hanya bisa dirasakan melalui suara.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXJqe0mxCg&ab_channel=BandungPhilharmonic




Voices in the Silence by Jeanette Sierra Natalie

Premiered Saturday, 26 September 2020 by Virtual Chamber Music "Isolation"

*  Winner of the 4th Young Indonesian Composer Competition

"Talking about Isolation, this word somehow also relate to 'silence'. this piece is written to tell about the voices and atmosphere that exist in the World of the Silence itself. But because it is so abstract, it's hard to find words that can explain about this world. therefore, i'm using music to express this abstract world of the silence. as music is able to explain things that can't be explained by words. In the pieces itself, written with different kinds of time signatures, ad-lib and also mainly with no exact main beats, telling and expressing some freedom of the abstract silence world."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWnGkFDi_I0




Saru Pakareman by Rizky Fauzy Ananda

Premiered Saturday, 14 May 2022 by Chamber Music "Konser Pemenang Kompetisi Komponis Muda Indonesia Ke 5" @ Auditorium Gedung PPAG UNPAR

*  Winner of the 5th Young Indonesian Composer Competition

Derived from two words 'Saru' which means vague and 'Pakareman' which means a dream that always comes to mind. Saru Pakareman tells about the dream of a young man who met Ki Lengser who was the representative of the king who came to meet and unite with his people. In this work, the composer imitate the sound of traditional musical instruments such as drums and fiddles into stringed instruments. Like the sound of the cello imitating the Sundanese drum pattern, which the composer chose to describe the arrival of Ki Lengser while dancing cutely. Then there is the sound of the cello imitating the sound of the fiddle by playing the madenda barrel, which the composer chose to create a restless and restless atmosphere.

https://youtu.be/mJ3TQwfF7zs




Astra(F)obia by Gavin Wiyanto

Premiered Saturday, 14 May 2022 by Chamber Music "Konser Pemenang Kompetisi Komponis Muda Indonesia Ke 5" @ Auditorium Gedung PPAG UNPAR

*  Winner of the 5th Young Indonesian Composer Competition

"It’s not about the thunder itself, but more about psychological result after or during hearing this such a noise. For someone that suffers this phobia (maybe for a long time), he or she will react something, that for the normal people’s assumption is unusual, even considered and/or assumed as “madness”, childish, immature, cowardliness, etc. This psychological situation is described more detail through this composition. 

As an astraphobic myself, thunder means wrath, anger, hammer and something does not really beautiful at all (compared with some arguments, that this such noise, is very beautiful, when it rains). Why do I say so? The loudness of the sound is extremely shocking and it comes from nowhere and even it strikes unexpectedly, even the sky is cloudless, blue and the sun shines upon it.

Yet the composition shows the situation a bit, e.g. how the rain is simulated through col legno (on 1st violin) and semi-cluster2 (on 2nd violin), the ambiguity of the sky as it is about to clear or rainy again through bitonality, etc; but it doesn’t specifically about the sound of thunderstorm itself. Rather, it simulates the fear, hatred and anger, while hearing such (in my subjective opinion) “terrible and frightening sounds ever in the world (especially mostly in the tropical countries like Indonesia))”."

https://youtu.be/wbO0TEEZKb0




Tales From The Northern Woods by Benedito Pratama

Premiered Saturday, 14 May 2022 by Chamber Music "Konser Pemenang Kompetisi Komponis Muda Indonesia Ke 5" @ Auditorium Gedung PPAG UNPAR

*  Winner of the 5th Young Indonesian Composer Competition

"It was on the 12th of December 2021, when the daydream first crowded my mind: an image of a better, peaceful life. A life that is neither caged nor surrounded by the ‘concrete jungle’ that is Jakarta, where there is only green. Miles of green, where a small village sits on the banks of the river, beautiful, idyllic and lush. Somewhere that probably only exists in epic high-fantasy stories. A few hours later, I was sitting on the piano playing free-improvisation when I accidentally found the chord progression which later becomes the opening of the piece.

The piece opens with a fast, tightly rhythmized eight notes with a 6/8 and 5/8 time signature, followed by the main theme with a Ravel and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Scheherazade) style in 6/8. The piece then evolves into a minimalist-jig before it morphs into the second part of the piece. Part II begins with a slow moving, float-like-a- butterfly with violin I playing artificial harmonic glissando, influenced by John Adams’ Shaker Loops, while the rest are playing senza vibrato and flautando. And Part III is the piece’s final bow, a final dance of the bows across the strings, playing accelerando B m and Fm chord in 10/8 with the closing piece replaying the main theme from Part I."

https://youtu.be/uu4gpGyvUH4




Journey Home by Mery Kasiman

Premiered Saturday, 19 November 2022 @ Auditorium Gedung PPAG UNPAR

"The journey to go home. Home in the deepest meaning of finding peace within one’s soul. The anxious journey is shown in a theme that continuously comes back, although there is strength which accompanies that anxiety. One can sense that the strength leads the heart to go home, accept oneself as one is, and find that inner peace."

https://youtu.be/1kdY7kmry_U