Indonesian National Orchestra Ready To Echo The Nusantara Nada And Culture On European Tours

Indonesian National Orchestra (Doc. Special)

JAKARTA - Indonesian National Orchestra (INO) returned to a concert tour in Europe after successfully holding a performance in Elbphilharmoni, Hamburg 2022. The musicians led by Franki Raden departed from Bali on May 13 to Katowise, Poland. They are known to have just participated in the Indonesian Music Expo (IMEX) event in Ubud, Bali (9-12/5).

INO is scheduled to appear at prestigious festivals and concert buildings in Europe. Starting with the Gardens of Sounds Festival in Katowise (Poland) on May 17, the Nijmegen Music Meeting Festival in the Netherlands on May 19, and the Amare Theater in the city of The Hague on May 23, then Tong Festival May 25 will be a closing destination.

This series of tours is thanks to the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbud Ristek).

Talking about INO, they are a new music platform rooted in the Indonesian music culture. The instruments and elements of music used represent all Indonesian musical traditions but refer to the 20th century music aesthetics.

"In INO music there is the mantra Dayak, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara that mingles with the music elements of Sundanese, Sumba, Batak, Minahasa, Betawi, Minangkabau in the construction of heterogonists, polymetrics, microtonics, and allegators," said Franki Raden in a written broadcast received by VOI.

Since its formation in 2010, INO has explored the Asian, Australian, and European continents echoing the voice of the contemporary music culture of the archipelago to the world.

At Katowise, the enthusiasm of the audience was so high that INO was asked to play twice by the organizers because the tickets had been sold out for the first concert hour.

"Hopefully INO will be the spearhead of the exploration of Indonesian music groups on the international stage," added Franki.

The European tour conducted by INO cannot be separated from the contribution of Indonesian Music Expo (IMEX) initiated by Franki Raden with the Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology, which aims to introduce and peddle Nusantara world music products to the world market by inviting world music players or buyers from all over the continent to come and watch IMEX in Ubud, Bali.

The hope of IMEX is that buyers will be interested in inviting groups that appear on the IMEX stage to their respective countries. These buyers' are a collection of music promoters, booking agents, producers, label owners, festival directors, directors of art centers, TV media, radio & online, members of organizations, music associations, and including music artists from other countries.

IMEX 2024 is a stage for Indonesian musicians to be able to show their best abilities and inspire a global audience. This is a moment for Indonesian music to speak more broadly and carve traces in the international world of music," concluded Franki.