Visiting Artists
Krakatau -Magical Match Australian Tour
Krakatau explodes in Australia with the arrival of one of the world’s leading jazz fusion bands direct from Indonesia. World Music within the progression of modern sounds - "blending an amazing mix of east and west" (The Straits Times). In 1997 Krakatau provided Australian audiences with " an experience that was both visually and aurally stimulating" (Jakarta Post).
Their return to Australia in October 2000 follows international performances in France and will give Australian audiences the opportunity "to see and hear the different". Their music is energised by a modern feel of jazz-rock-R&B and rhythmic souls from other parts of the world fusing with various ethnic traditions of Indonesia.The Krakatau Australian Tour 2000 is presented by Arimba Culture Exchange in association with BEMAC, Energex Brisbane Festival, Q Music, Jazz Coordination Association of Queensland, Noosa Federation of the Arts, Ku Promotions, Canberra School of Music, ANU, Carnivale 2000 and Kita Music.
11 October - South Pacific Resort Noosa, Queensland
12 October - Workshop, Queensland Conservatorium
13 October - Queensland Cultural Centre Auditorium, South Bank,
Brisbane (Sold out at Energex Brisbane Festival)
14 October - Jamesons Bar, 475 Adelaide Street, City, Brisbane
(Improvised Music with Brisbane musicians)
15 October - The Backroom, Hotel Great Northern, Byron Bay
17 October - Workshop, Canberra School of Music
18 October - Llewellyn Hall, Canberra School of Music ANU
19 October - Workshop, The University of Sydney
20 October - The Basement, 29 Reiby Place, Circular Quay, Sydney
Krakatau’s latest CD 'Magical Match' released by Arimba Culture Exchange and Kita Music to coincide with their tour is available at selected music outlets in Australia.
The distinctive tones and sounds of Krakatau originate from the ancient gamelan tonal system called s’lendro. Founded in Bandung, West Java in 1985, Krakatau is Indonesia’s leading jazz-fusion group, combining traditional and modern musics in a contemporary setting. Krakatau’s music is continually evolving, drawing from Indonesia’s multicultural diversity to enrich their sounds and compositions to communicate to a global audience. They have performed throughout Indonesia, in Japan, Singapore, France, and Sydney.
Despite the distinctive tones that might sound peculiar to Western ears, the treasure of rhythmic expression and jazz idioms is a valuable language that communicates to both global and jazz audiences. Furthermore, the music continues to absorb the Western diatonic tonality into the Sundanese s’lendro tradition. The uniqueness of Krakatau’s music is difficult to describe with any exotic or fancy phrase. The only way to find out is through the experience.
During their second visit to Australia, Krakatau will tour Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Byron Bay presenting performances and workshops of their unique combination of Sundanese traditional music from West Java with jazz and contemporary sounds.
Krakatau’s Australian tour is sponsored by the Australia Indonesia Institute, Qantas, Queensland Government, Thiess Contractors and Insearch University of Technology Sydney.
The Krakatau project is supported by:
Counsellor (Cultural), Australian Embassy Jakarta
Indonesian Embassy Canberra
Indonesian Consulate Sydney
Honorary Consulate of The Republic of Indonesia Brisbane
Queensland Conservatorium
Music Department, The University of Sydney
Performance Studies, The University of Sydney
Languages Department, University of New South Wales
Sydney Conservatorium
Asian Studies Department, Australian National University
The Asia Link Centre, The University of Melbourne
Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance
For further information contact:
Arif Hidayat and Margaret Bradley
Arimba Culture Exchange
Tel/Fax: (02) 9569 9028
Mobile: 0412 336 006
Email: arimbace@dot.net.au
Arimba Culture Exchange is a member of Australia Indonesia ARts Alliance
Krakatau in Byron Bay
Members of the Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance - NSW Nth Coast Branch, Byron Shire Gamelan Ensemble and the Byron Indonesian community have formed a joint committee to support Krakatau's visit to the area. Besides promoting the Krakatau concert omn October 15, a major task of the committee has been to invite a member of Krakatau for a six week visit to the North Coast as a cultural guest.
Deni Tudi Rahayu has accepted the committee's invitation and will be staying in the North Coast area from the completion of the Krakatau Tour in late October to early December 2000. While in the North Coast Deni will be invited to participate in cultural activites within the community including collaborations with local musicians, gamelan and percussion groups, school visits, and participation in festivals and events in Northern NSW and Southern Queensland. Anyone interested in inviting Deni to participate in your activities please contact the Joint Committee for Krakatau Project Nth Coast. indoartsalliance@hotmail.com.Welcoming Ceremony
In order to celebrate Krakatau's arrival in Byron Bay, the committee is planning a Welcoming Ceremony to be held at the Main Beach Byron Bay on Sunday 15 October. Members of the local Aboriginal community, the Indonesian community and AIAA will present rituals, performances and welcoming speeches followed by a Picnic in the Park.
All Welcome. Bring a picnic.
Deni Tudi Rahayu's visit marks the first formal visit by an Indonesian artist to Australia by a Branch of the Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance with fantastic assistance from Arimba Culture Exchange.
Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Plans are in place for a major Australian National Tour by Indonesia's foremost writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Pramoedya has been the most widely read Indonesian writer for decades, notwithstanding that his books were banned by the Soeharto Regime for many years and Pramoedya himself was imprisoned in 1965, spending much of his life in gaol on the horrific Island of Buru.
Famous internationally for his series of novels set in colonial Indonesia, the tragedy of 'This Earth of Mankind' strikes deep into the soul of the reader. Despite facing enormous difficulties and suffering Pramoedya has published many works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, articles and speeches and continues to be a prominent figure in Indonesian literature and political life today. Other works by Pramoedya which have become icons of Indonesian literature include 'Perburuan' (The Fugitive), 'Pertjikan Revolusi'(Flashes of the Revolution), 'Keluarga Gerilya'(Family of a Guerilla), 'Subuh'(Dawn), 'Mereka Yang Dilumpuhkan' (The Oppressed), 'Dia Yang Menjerah'(The Vanquished), 'Korupsi'(Corruption) and many more.Unfortunately, now an elderly man, Pramoedya's health does not permit him to undertake the Australian Tour as planned in October. The tour has been postponed and will take place when Pramoedya is well enough to travel.
Lili Suparli
Lili Suparli of STSI Bandung has been visiting lecturer at Monash University. Besides teaching at the University, Lili has been involved with a production of Lutung Kasarung - The Black Monkey and the Princess, an ancestral myth of the Sundanese people of West Java which was held at the University during September.
Internationally acclaimed Lili Suparli was the director and lead musician of the production, which was accompanied by live gamelan orchestra, vocal and bamboo music. The dialog was in Indonesian, with narration in English.
School shows were held as well as evening performances. The choreographer and lead dancer of the production was Soepri Hardjono Soehodo, which was held at Alexander Theatre, Monash University and presented by the Monash University School of Music - Conservatorium in association with the Office of the Performing and Visual Arts.