Institut Musik Daya, a rare music school

Sunday, January 16, 2005
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It was the first day of the Sundanese gamelan class, and the five students of the Institut Musik Daya (IMD) music school here took positions in front of each traditional instrument in the auditorium on the second floor.
Now, the major difference between music students and us, regular, tone-deaf folks, is that it did not take long for the former to get in tune with the new instruments.
With a brief explanation from teacher Atep Gunawan about the instruments, how they work and the note scale, the students played haltingly at first but smooth enough after a few adjustments later.
Off to another class ... well, apparently, there is no other class. That was the total number of students for the degree program at the whole school.
The school's deputy academic and creative director, Sri Aksana Sjuman, said it has been difficult to lure students since the school opened in 2001.
"People, or parents in this case, still don't see music as profession," said the noted drummer who is referred as Aksan.
"We want to shift the perception by producing quality musicians who are recognized internationally and are responsible and love what they're doing."
Founded by noted jazz musician Tjut Nyak Deviana Daudsjah, or Deviana, the school was a response to the dismal music scene and the lack of quality musicians in the country.
Upon her return to her home country after spending 25 years in Europe studying, teaching and working with music, Deviana was shocked to see how the local music scene and education is lagging far behind developed countries.
"Music education in schools is so poor, if at all it exists. No wonder the music scene is so dull and full of copycats. The musicians still can't play the instruments correctly. Even the most famous local orchestra has yet to meet international standards," said the school's academic director.
No wonder, she said, that foreign musicians inundate the country and dominate the clubs and hotels here.
She was speaking based on long experience as a composer, arranger, music director and performer who has released a number of CD albums featuring herself as a pianist and vocalist.
Deviana was a professor of music, ensemble, piano, vocal improvisation and ear training at the Jazz Department of Basel Music Academy, Germany from 1990 to 1998.
Before returning to the country, she was the director of Freiburg Jazz & Rock School also in Germany which designed a curriculum validated by the Federal Governments of Germany and Switzerland.
Deviana then recruited Aksan, a graduate from Folkwang Music Hochschule in Germany and already a noted musician in his own right, and several other foreign-graduate teachers.
Having Freiburg School as the reference, Institut Musik Daya deliberately launched a four-year degree program instead of a mere course in order to generate educators.
Later on, there are other programs provided: Beginners music program for ages five and above, two-year preparatory course for a degree program, and a crash course program for bands.
There are several requirements for students who wish to enter the degree program, including the ability to play a musical instrument, knowledge of music harmony and playing in an ensemble.
The curriculum is tight and comprehensive, with 22 subjects taught, from classical music, jazz, contemporary music, music arrangements and compositions, performing arts, music business and audio engineering, to music journalism.
Indra, 21, a senior who is majoring in contra bass, said that studying at the institute was a tough routine.
"But it's totally worth it. Because we get to learn everything, not just playing music but also sociology, history ... we learn how to handle contracts, management. So, we know what's going on in the industry, not just the music," he said.
The students are groomed to become generalist musicians and educators.
"We emphasize music pedagogy. To be a good teacher, they have to know something more beyond playing instruments," said Aksan, adding that the institute is having a tough time in finding good teachers, hence there are only five available now.
"The students of the degree program now also teach the courses and preparatory program," he said.
Deviana acknowledged that the students at IMD are struggling to keep up with the curriculum as the basic music education is very poor.
"The students are also spoiled rich kids. But some of them are very persistent; whom I am pinning my hopes on," she said.
As for the annual tuition fee of Rp 36 million (US$4,000), which some considered expensive, Deviana said it was still far cheaper than going to Berklee or Juilliard.
IMD is also equipped with good facilities, such as an acoustically designed performance hall, a piano in every classroom, student lounge area with piano, Internet access and library, as well as foreign musicians as visiting lecturers.
"The number of subjects taught is higher in foreign music schools. Here we also study traditional instruments and practical knowledge applicable to local needs."
The school also provides a venue for the students to perform through its weekly music program as well as performing at affiliated organization The Nine Muses Club at Jl. Wijaya I No. 25, South Jakarta.
One thing is for sure, students need not to worry about finding work as offers are already pouring in for students to perform or teach.
"Unless you're mediocre, don't be afraid you may end up penniless. Once you have a good quality of musicianship, people will look for you," said Harmoko, the audio engineering teacher.
Deviana said that opportunities were wide open as many fields were left undeveloped, such as performing arts.
"We always tell the students that Jakarta is not the only place to be. There is the rest of the world, as long as you have the quality," she said.
Despite slow progress and little profit, the school strives to produce quality musicians.
"Music education is far beyond just teaching someone how to play an instrument. It can produce a human being with good teamwork skills, sense of responsibility and compassion."
Institut Musik Daya
Jazz and Popular Music School
Jl. Wijaya IX No. 21, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta
Tel. 021-7209748-9/7208213
E-mail: imd@attglobal.net

Labels: music

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Bikram yoga is no mere warm-up

Sunday, January 09, 2005
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Imagine doing animal-namesake yoga postures: the squatting and arm-twisting "eagle", single leg-lifting "locust" or bending backward 'til you touch your toes "camel".
Add other poses -- toe stand, wind remover, spine twister, triangle --, all this while trying to coordinate your breathing and to make sure that your stomach is sucked in.
If you feel like you can already empathize with a pretzel, or wonder why there are no nap postures or a couch potato pose, try doing all of this hard work in a room heated to 42 degrees Celsius.
It is called Bikram yoga, or plainly referred to as hot yoga, or what beginners call "an hour and a half of pure hell".
Posture-wise, the practice, established by former Indian weight lifting champion Bikram Choudhury, is basically drawn from regular yoga, with 26 asana or postures and two sets of breathing exercises done in 90 minutes.
The major difference is that it is conducted in a room heated to between 40 and 44 degrees Celsius.
According to Mony Suriany of the newly opened Bikram yoga studio Yoga @ 42ø, the heat is designed to warm and stretch muscle, as well as produce sweat which promotes detoxification and elimination through the skin.
"Fat cells are diluted faster, it may be redistributed and burned as energy during the class. The heat produces a fluid-like stretch allowing for a greater range of movement in joints, muscles, ligaments and other supporting structures of the body," she told The Jakarta Post last week.
She added that capillaries also dilate in the heat, more effectively oxygenating the tissues, muscles, glands and organs and helping in the removal of waste products.
"The twenty-six exercises systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to 100 percent of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order, just as nature intended," said Mony, a certified Bikram yoga instructor.
A rosy description, and probably true, but it was easier said than done.
After five minutes of doing them, I began to think that Mony and I were probably enemies in a past life and the hot yoga was a way of her getting back at me. The belief grew stronger as I also felt nauseous and started seeing spots.
"It is not unusual to feel nauseous or dizzy during the first class. Because it's not just our muscles that are stretching, but our inner organs as well. The problem is also caused by not drinking enough water in daily life, let alone for exercising in a heated room," said Mony.
The practice has been enjoying growing popularity all over the world, indicated by the lucrative business empire Choudhury, 57, has built from his Yoga College of India in Beverly Hills, California.
There are 90 schools nationwide in the United States, with hundreds of certified Bikram studios now operating across the country. Others are in Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, Thailand and Singapore.
Choudhury is in the process of franchising Bikram's Yoga College of India brand.
Benefits that Bikram yoga practitioners tout are that it helps ailments ranging from anemia and diabetes to varicose veins.
Astuti, a beginner who has been practicing for two weeks said that Bikram yoga has made her more energetic.
Mony said that Bikram yoga cured her fractured right shoulder and a dislocated knee due to terrible traffic accident.
"Doctors said I had to undergo surgery but I was terrified because I had never undergone surgery before."
A long-time yoga practitioner, she instead turned to Bikram yoga and claimed that she recovered completely within seven months. An MBA graduate, she then gave up her job as a financial analyst in a General Electric office in the U.S. and turned yogini instead.
However, experts warned people to be cautious about the discipline.
Noted yoga instructor Yudhi Widyantoto said that while the Bikram yoga series was not too advanced or difficult, the heat made the process unnatural.
"I'm not judging, but good and natural air circulation is very important while doing an exercise. There is a concern about possible respiratory problems," said Yudhi, a yoga teacher of 15 years.
Experts in the U.S. also warned that while a little heat and sweat is good, a lot is not necessarily better as prolonged time in a hot environment raises the risks of overstretching, high blood pressure and fainting.
Robert Sherwin of the American Diabetes Association, as quoted by the USA Today said that stretching was not the kind of thing that reduced insulin resistance.
Meanwhile, Stephen Reingold of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society said that while there were claims that the yoga discipline helped MS, heat commonly exacerbated spasticity, weakness and other disease symptoms.
Some yoga experts were concerned that Choudhury's emphasis on curing clinical illnesses reduced the spiritual dimension of the practice.
"The news about him pursuing the patent and franchise is making the practice too commercial," Yudhi said.
With all the pros and cons, it may be best for you to consult a physician first before practicing Bikram yoga.
Bikram Yoga Jakarta Yoga @ 42ø, Saberro House, Jl.Kemang Raya No. 10A 4th Fl., South Jakarta
Tel. 021-7197379/08121020389
E-mail: hotyogajakarta@yahoo.com
website: www.bikramyogajakarta.com

Labels: culture, urban

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In the pink: Businesses start reaching out to gay consumers

Sunday, January 02, 2005
Hera Diani and Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It used to be tough to find standing space during the "gay" night at packed Jalan Jalan club in Menara Imperium tower, South Jakarta.
These days, patrons find themselves in uncomfortably wide open spaces.
The place to hang out for the gay community every Sunday night during the late 1990s, the nightclub suddenly faces a difficult reality, with several new competitors drawing the crowd away.
Even rescheduling its gay night to Wednesday does not seem to have helped much. Although a crowd gradually gathered for the drag and beefcake shows on a recent weeknight, hardly anybody from the mostly young patrons was buying a drink, despite enticements to "buy one, get one free".
It was a far cry from the nightclub's heyday, when locals and expatriates filled the venue, whiling away the last hours of the weekend by catching a fashion show or performance by Tata Dado and his Silver Boys drag troupe.
A manager, who spoke on the condition his name was not used, admitted times were challenging. For one, Jalan Jalan faced direct competition on Sunday night from the La Dolce Vita theme night of Centro in South Jakarta, which opened earlier this year.
There was also the presence of Two Face, the stylish lounge-bar which offers a gay night on Saturday, located behind Menara Imperium.
Gay men suddenly had a choice -- and many chose to spend their rupiah on Saturday night instead.
"We aim for the upmarket community, smart, affluent businessmen. But now we have so many competitors, we have to be realistic. We're open for any kind of people now," "Willy" said, noting the club has scrapped its Rp 35,000 (almost US$4) entrance charge but does have a "first drink" entry fee policy.
Jakarta, like many major cities in Asia, from Singapore to Bangkok, Taipei to Manila, before it, may finally be waking up to the "pink power" of gay consumers, especially men with lots of disposable income (lesbians have their own clubs and meeting places, but due to societal constraints tend to keep a lower profile).
Limited to holes in the walls during the late 1980s (the venerable Press Club on Jl. Veteran) and fly-by-night upmarket clubs the following decade (Voila in the Patra building on Jl. Gatot Subroto), gay men had a choice of Jalan Jalan on Sunday, or the cavernous, stuffy, ear-splitting but enduring Moonlight in Kota, West Jakarta, by the late 1990s.
Many, afraid of being singled out as gay in this traditionally conservative society, chose instead to mingle in with the straight crowd at places like Tanamur, whose upstairs was unofficially reserved for them.
It and other nightspots, like several hotel fitness centers in the city, which have gradually built up predominantly gay clientele, were friendly toward the community without having to advertise the fact.
Today, gay men, increasingly recognized, if not accepted, after the success of last year's gay-themed movie Arisan and 2001's best-selling book Supernova by Dewi Lestari, are spoilt for choice in how to spend their money during a night on the town.
Although some gays choose not to go to the clubs, either because they are still closeted or they consider them nothing but meat markets, others welcome them as a welcome escape from their usual getting by in straight society.
"It's our own little world, the only place where you can turn the world upside down," said Donny, 26.
With the exception of Monday, every night is a gay or "rainbow" night at a club in the city. Apart from Jalan Jalan, Two Face and Centro, there is Avenue at Sari Pan Pacific in Central Jakarta (Tuesday night); West Pacific at the Jaya Pub building on Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta (Friday); and Wonder Bar at Taman Ria Senayan, Central Jakarta (also Wednesday).
The latter is under the same management as Embassy, one of the most popular clubs in town.
Centro, opened in late 2003, launched its gay night seven months later and has enjoyed success.
"Every Sunday night, some 500 people show up. That's because we come up with something different every week: DJs imported from Singapore, fashion shows and much more," said the club's public relations officer, Joy Tan.
Following the lead of its parent club in Singapore, Centro is targeting affluent consumers, with a minimum age of 19 -- there is an ID check at the gate -- and cover charge of Rp 45,000.
"Visitors must dress neatly, no sandals or shorts. It's important to create an image from the beginning to be competitive. And it looks like other places are following us, we're, like, a trendsetter," Joy said.
"On gay nights, even heterosexual couples show up, too."
Embassy's management turned its club CO2 into Wonder Bar in recognition of the potential market.
"As more clubs emerge, the previous place became uncompetitive. So we upgraded it, targeting a new, more exclusive market aged 21 above, as well as the gay community," said Radian Rahmananta, general manager of Embassy.
Opened in November, the gay night has begun to attract visitors even though the cover charge is relatively high at Rp 60,000.
Two Face has been particularly successful; bar employee Nunu, an unofficial "welcome wagon" man for gay visitors, said the bar could get up to 400 patrons on a Saturday night, each of them paying the Rp 50,000 cover charge.
Another gay club, Qzone, located at Vg club on Jl. Pintu Besar Utara, opposite Museum Fatahillah in Kota area, West Jakarta, is set to be launched on Jan. 15.
One of the owners, American expatriate Jason O'Donnel, said the idea for the venue came after he visited Singapore and saw the many gay-oriented establishments.
"I thought, 'why does Jakarta, a city that is double in size and more open, have fewer gay clubs?'" said O'Donnel.
With a gay night every Saturday, Qzone is aimed at the middle to upmarket range, with a cover charge of Rp 30,000.
"But it's not a discotheque kind of thing, it's more of a bar, cafe, lounge, with a mix of entertainment.
"We'll see how it goes," he said.
Club managers said they were not concerned by a possible backlash from hardliner religious groups.
"We have strong coordination with the police," said Radian.
Joy, meanwhile, said performances were tame compared to those found abroad.
"We don't worry about raids, we're still following local customs. There is only a comedy show, or g-string fashion show."
Some gay people argue that the emergence of gay-themed nights at nightclubs is more about dollars and cents than greater tolerance.
"It appears the gay community is more appreciated and recognized, but I don't think so. The social stigma about homosexuality still exist," said "Miki", 28, a reporter.
Andi, public relations for Avenue, said there was resistance from some members of the management when the idea of a "rainbow" night was first proposed, but it waned once the potential was recognized.
But he acknowledged there is still the fear of being ghettoized among some gays, which indicates that the community is not entirely accepting of itself.
"Gay people still have a strong sense of gengsi (pride); I don't think they would want to go to a place that advertised itself as exclusively gay every night."

Labels: culture, urban

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