Truly, Asia is Indonesia

2008?

It is coming soon. You can have plenty of things to do. But, travelling to Indonesia may be one of best choices there is.

Yes, I am saying this because I am an Indonesian. But, if you have visited the country, you know what I mean. Even if you haven't, this is a valid invitation.

The thing is, 2008 is also a good timing since the Department of Tourism and Culture set it as the Visit Indonesia Year. You can always access its website for updates.

In fact, this coming year is also pledged as the Visit West Sumatera Year. I have been visiting to many countries before, seeing the beauty of many cities, but stopping by in Bukittingi or Maninjau Lake in West Sumatera is always my opted preference. You can explore the possibilities there.

What about security? In case you ask, that is so much a cliche rather than a fact. It is safe. Than again, the world is

People should avoid New York if 9/11 is the barometer. Or London, Madrid, Jerusalem, Bombay, Bangkok and what not.

Bali? Just recently the US Embassy in Jakarta released a confirmation that the Ngurah Rai airport in Bali is safe and comply to international security aviation standard.

What I am saying is that it is due for any world citizen to retake the joy of exotic Indonesia anytime.

Truly, it is Indonesia that is Asia. Others, you say?

You will find out yourself that what is wrapped and sold with a price elsewhere may just be a tiny cultural parcel abundantly available in Indonesia.

I tell you this, if someone sell you another person's treasures, what else you can make of it except...?

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It is a very big country, very diverse and colorful. Saying just that already a proof of so many good things.

2008 is the Visit Indonesia Year.

LA/Nov/07

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The Piano of Christine Utomo

Do you like classical music; those of Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Debussy, Schriabin or even Barber the American composer?

If you don't---preferring the electric hip hop pop or other instead---imagine to get a Doctorate of Musical Arts in classical piano performance?

That is Christine Utomo, a shy looking pianist completing her top-level doctoral education at the University of Southern California, through her soft fingers running wild, say, in the tune of Samuel Barber---The Piano Sonata.

Yes, classical music is indeed the elite of any kind of music finesses of civilization.

This is indeed the kind of music by invitation, of which you should really be willing to come in order to enjoy it. Otherwise, you'd better off to associate yourself just to an easy listening program or the like at a local FM radio channel. It seems almost absolute that we really need to be mentally ready, and by letting go all other things around, in order to enjoy it, since it is precious like a antique porcelain. Be careful; otherwise, it will break.

Then again, that is only the way I see it every time. I am no expert on this but a regular man in the street. Yet, once a while I do like to sit and listen to the numbers by a genius, even long dead, like Mozart. Or of else.

I am so much a regular guy who does not even have a special pick to mention. Any pick goes just fine. In fact, apart from a rare, quite listening of a classical CD in the living room, the classical distance I have may just be listening to an open concert presented in a public hall.*

But, invited to the recital by Christine Utomo in the evening of January 18 as a presentation by the Flora L. Thornton School of Music, USC, I was so much engulfed sitting in the back row listening attentively to every tune played by her.

This is the Christine who started playing piano so very young and even performed a recital in public at the age of five. She was the award holder of prestigious piano festivals and earned a Dean Scholarship in her USC education.

There performed skilfully were Debussy's Image Book II, Schriabin's Sonata No.9, Beethoven's Piano Sonata op. 109, Mozart's Piano Sonata K.332 and Barber's Sonata for Piano.

Up in the front center, the glowing Christine commanding the piano under a single spotlight was really catching the breath of the audience. One thing about classical music is its magical lure stiring you heart into many kind of feelings. The soft and longing tunes would fly you far away, the sad turn could even bring you tears, while the forceful glares would wring your heart in turbulence. Very often in a composition, all together would just take turn to play you.

And watching Christine playing, while she was so playful---even child-like---in soft tunes and jumped up from the seat for Barber's four parts Piano Sonata, was really a due treat for me. Perhaps even for everyone.

When she elegantly bowed upon finishing the whole performance perfectly, the room was full of applauses. As an encore, she also played a piano improvisation of the joyful “Kopi Dangdut”.

I am not only happy for the chance of being there, but even proud knowing that she is not just an excellent pianist, but an Indonesian talent completing a doctoral degree and anxious to go back home.

Congratulation, Christine!

*) Even that, was already far back to 1996-1997 when I studied in Brisbane, Australia. There a concert performed once a week at the heart of Queen Elisabeth Mall.

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Qariah Maria Ulfah in LA Times

The Los Angeles Times, Sunday edition of 17 December published an interesting article about an Indonesian Quran reciter, a qoriah, Maria Ulfah. The piece, Her Koran Recitals Says A Lot, is authored by John Glionna, the Times staff writer, who has written several stories about Indonesia, in collaboration with Dinda Jouhana, the correspondence in Indonesia.

The article is very interesting particularly due its unbiased perspective. In fact, the whole piece is quite sympathetic and open---the perspective that is not always seen among many Western journalists. You must be aware that the usual approach taken by many Western media in the pretext of 'balance' is more likely to start with a few obvious good things, sided together with a bunch of regular criticism or such. This one is not like that at all; this is almost perfect.

Let us read some of Glionna's words:

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, most schools have Koran recitation clubs. And women here, unlike in other Islamic nations where they often are excluded from the public sphere, are afforded higher status by a comparatively moderate culture. Girls are encouraged from an early age to compete alongside boys.

It is an atmosphere in which Ulfah thrived. In 1980, she won the women's title in an international Koran recitation contest in Malaysia, earning her national acclaim back home in Indonesia and launching Ulfah into the artistic and intellectual spotlight.

Suddenly, her voice was broadcast regularly on radio and television. She won recording contracts and was invited to perform her melodic recitations throughout the Islamic world and in the West.

In Indonesia, her performances filled football stadiums. In her a cappella recitations, Ulfah's wide-ranging voice brings a distinct mood to each Koranic text, as she uses flourishes, tempo and pitch through the use of various melodies. The result is a unique religious musical performance — more singing than chanting, as spiritual as it is artistic.

Yes, for many Indonesians, Maria Ulfah is certainly known widely.

I have known abou her myself since her well-remembered success in winning the recitation contest of 1980, Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran (MTQ), in Malaysia. I also remember Nanang Qasim as an Indonesian popular male reciter or qari along with Maria Ulfah.

All my brothers and sisters must have also been very familiar with her beautiful recitals, particularly because our father really loved to play the cassette loudly every morning, including to wake the children up for shubuh prayer (shalat).

Reading this piece is, therefore, truly heartening, given the way the LA Times describes Maria Ulfah. It is true that through her Quran recital skill, Ulfah has shown the world of her own effort to portray the true image of woman in Islam. This is in fact an issue of equality in gender which Islam teaches, even though to many non-Muslim it is seriously misunderstood.

Ulfah is 51 years old now and she has surely inspired many younger ones. As Glionna wrote, much of Ulfah success is due to her father's dream to show the world that woman is equal to anyone.

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