Classical Kolintang Takes National Stage, Culture Minister Fadli Zon Praises PYC's Breakthrough

Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon (Public Relation)

JAKARTA – Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon considers the PYC Kolintang Competition a significant breakthrough in encouraging the regeneration and innovation of kolintang music following its UNESCO inscription. He made this statement when receiving Lis Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Advisor to the Purnomo Yusgiantoro Center (PYC), at the Ministry of Culture Office in Senayan on Friday, November 14th.

Fadli emphasized that this competition offers a new approach because it encourages kolintang to play classical music repertoire, a level of difficulty that is much higher than previous competitions. "Kolintang needs a new dynamic to prevent stagnation. The government supports cross-genre collaboration and strengthening the learning ecosystem for young people," he said.

The Minister of Culture also encouraged institutionalization of kolintang knowledge, including community mapping and training in music schools, especially vocational high schools. He believes player regeneration is crucial for the continued development of this tradition.

Lis Purnomo Yusgiantoro stated that the idea for the competition arose because kolintang, now a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, requires new challenges. "Kolintang can play classical music, which has traditionally been associated with piano or violin. This competition aims to improve the players' capacity," he said.

The PYC Kolintang Competition limits participants to 35 teams, with the top five selected to perform in the grand final. To maintain quality, participants are required to interpret classical works in kolintang format.

The Ministry of Culture and PYC are also exploring holding classical kolintang workshops in music schools, arts communities, and performing arts vocational schools. "Next, we plan to institutionalize kolintang knowledge, including exploring the curriculum at music vocational schools," concluded Fadli Zon.