Logos Trio terug uit Java / Indonesie
JAKARTA (JP): Forget the never-ending
crisis for a while and listen to the quality music performed by
internationally acclaimed artists at the ongoing European Union
Music Festival. The festival, taking place from February through
April in several cities here, is the second of its kind to be
staged in indonesia. The first European Union Music Festival was
held in 1996. Anthony Crasner, a representative of the European
Commission, explained that the two months of music will offer an
opportunity to hear some of the most outstanding young chamber
ensembles currently performing in Europe.
"We believe music is an international
language. People would be able to appreciate every kind of music
genre despite diverse social, cultural and national
backgrounds," Crasner said. The festival, which opened last
Thursday in Bandung, West-Java, focuses on different aspects of
classical and contemporary music and is designed to give local
audiences an insight into the wide variety of Europe's musical
styles. The theme of this year's festival is Music of
the 20th Century and musicians from six of the 15
member countries of the European Union will perform in Jakarta,
Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya between February and April.
Participating Ensembles are the Petersen Quartet (Germany), Logos
(Belgium), the Quatuor Ysaye (France), the Amstel Trio (the
Netherlands), the Kammertrio-Linz-Wien (Austria) and the Trio
Finlandia (Finland). In addition, the noted composer Siegfried
Matthus will hold a workshop for local musicians and music lovers
in Jakarta on Feb. 27. One of the most interesting groups involved in
the festival is Belgian contemporary music group Logos. Founded
by Godfried-Willem Raes, the Logos has grown to be the country's
most influential music group, exploring experimental and
contemporary music styles. Raes has masters in musicology,
philosophy, as well as advanced computer and electronic music
technology. Raes and the group's other members, Monique Darge and
Joachim Brackx, experiment with new music sounds and instruments
to produce distinguished contemporary music works. Luk Darras, Belgium's ambassador here, described
the festival as a mix between classical and modern music. Logos
produces contemporary music which is a blend of modern
traditional and techno music. "Their music is beautiful and
is open to various elements from around the world. It is a vital
link between the past and the present," the Darras said.
Contemporary music allows any musician to participate in another
artist's work without disturbing the essence of the music, he
said. "That's marvelous. It is a means that might unite
artists from around the world." He hoped that in the coming
years, the European Union Music Festival may also include
contemporary jazz and popular music in an attempt to reach a
wider audience and to be closer to the Indonesian people.
Last Updated on 99-04-07 by Joachim Brackx