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(Images courtesy of Saga Works/Kancatala Ensemble)
The Kancatala Ensemble, a choir community with a mission to educate and promote choral music in Indonesia, celebrated its fifth anniversary with a concert titled "Serangkai Harum Harmoni" at the Goethe-Institut on 28 July 2024 in Menteng, Central Jakarta. The ensemble, founded on March 9, 2019, by Kristian Wirjadi who also serves as the music director, aims to connect with people through the joy of music, particularly singing. The name 'Kancatala' combines the Javanese word 'kanca' (meaning 'friend') and 'tala' (meaning 'tone'), symbolizing 'friends in harmony.'
Under the direction of Kristian Wirjadi and Mikha Ogung Panggabean, the concert featured 30 singers from diverse backgrounds and revolved around the theme of Love. More than 600 attendees were invited on a journey to explore love in its various forms—self-love, familial love, love for others, and love for the universe—through a curated selection of 12 songs, including two world premieres. The concert was further enriched by a collaboration with the Arutala theater community, which helped convey the theme of love in an engaging narrative.
"Love is a theme that never gets old. We want to remind the audience of the many kinds of love through the music of the Kancatala Ensemble. In Jakarta and its surroundings, daily anxieties seem endless. With a little reminder of love, we hope to warm the hearts of our audience," said Kristian Wirjadi, one of the choir's coaches.
The concert actively engaged the audience in singing together, aligning with the spirit of #NyanyiBarengLebihSeru (Singing Together is More Fun). The ensemble invited 40 singers to participate in the Open Community Choir program, initiated to involve more people in choir activities in an enjoyable way.
The concert gained significant attention after a social media post by one of its members went viral on X, garnering over three million views. This online buzz sparked hope for increased public enthusiasm for choral music in Indonesia.
"We are delighted and touched by the enthusiastic and positive reactions from netizens towards Kancatala Ensemble. We hope this energy can serve as a momentum for us to continue spreading the spirit of #NyanyiBarengLebihSeru. Certainly, we will be organizing more exciting events in the future!" said Mikha Ogung Panggabean, another coach of the Kancatala Ensemble.
Since its inception in 2019, Kancatala Ensemble has performed in various events, including collaborations with major groups like Hindia, Reality Club, and Feast. The ensemble also initiated educational programs such as "TEMU (Tentang Musik): Leading a Choir" and the "Konser Virtual Berelasi Mengapresiasi 2021," collaborating with various art communities to reach more people across Indonesia , especially in the Jabodetabek area.
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