The Spirit of Loving Indonesia’s Heritage
The essence of art is educating and entertaining. This means through art,
values and knowledge are transferred to one’s soul and mind. However, it has to entertain its audience. Santa Laurensia realizes that today’s young generation tends to complete themselves with modern things, whereby they have gradually forgotten the traditional art that they have inherited from generations before. Therefore, It is in this spirit that Santa Laurensia is putting together this event— a moment to relish Indonesian art through, “Art and Music Festival – Gamelan for the Young” on 18 – 19 December 2008as a medium to rekindle the spirit of loving Indonesia’s time-honored art.
ARM FEST 2008 was opened by a gamelan performance & ‘nembang’ in Javanese from Deutsche Internationale Schule’s students. The seminar was delivered by an expert in ethnomusicology who introduces gamelan to worldwide: Prof. DR. Rahayu Supanggah (graduated from University of Paris VII) & a musician who often merge his music with gamelan: Dwiki Dharmawan. Students & teachers from 20 schools in ‘Jabodetabek’ area were very enthusiastic in joining this seminar which would open and broaden their knowledge.
ARM FEST 2008 Day 2 was supported by gamelan performances (Sundanese, Javanese, and Balinese) from Elementary to Senior High students: Santa Laurensia School, Madania School, Bogor Raya School, Santa Ursula-Jakarta School, Sang Timur-Jakarta School, & Regina Pacis-Jakarta School.
The aim of this event would be to gather together schools to become part
of a community that expresses and exhibits students’ talents playing Gamelan instruments. And the most important thing is to ignite the students’ spirit to a young generation to foster love over Indonesia’s important ethnic heritage history.
Hope that this would be a worthwhile venture that would harbor fond memories from the participants for many years to come. (Arm Fest committee)