German String Ensemble Lets People 'Listen Differently'
Jakarta. Ensemble Resonanz, a string ensemble from Germany, has launched a new approach to connect classical and electronic music for its first Southeast Asia tour titled "Urban String," which kicked off at Immigrant Lounge & Club in Central Jakarta on Thursday (02/02).
The "Urban String" tour is part of the Goethe Institut's "Anders Hören" ("Listening Differently") concert series, which aims to present listeners with surprising and unusual sound experiences. The ensemble aims to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary music with its lively interpretation of old masterpieces.
Speaking at Thursday's concert in Central Jakarta, Ensemble Resonanz cellist Saerom Park said their musical composition draws parallels between music from the 17th and 18th century and more contemporary compositions.
"We want to bridge the gap between tradition and the present time," she said. "People are starting to leave classical music behind and we want to make it more interesting for the audience to listen to."
During the concert, the group played "Scanners" by Alexander Schubert in a completely darkened room. The music is a choreographed composition that makes movement as important as sound. The string ensemble turns into a performing machine, imitating the sound of a scanner machine.
Park said the concert does not only bring together old and new, but also classical and electronic music.
"Each of our concerts in Southeast Asia will feature a local DJ to add some notions to our musical performance," she said.
Indonesian DJ Aradea Barananda, known as Dea, joined the ensemble for its Jakarta concert. Dea added his unique flavor of '70s disco music and psychedelic rock to the concert.
Dea studied sound design and music composition in London in 2003 and he is now resident DJ at Potato Head in Bali.
Founded in 1994, Ensemble Resonanz has been one of the leading groups of its kind in Europe. With its innovative repertoire and artistic quality, it was previously ranked as one of the world's leading chamber orchestras.
Ensemble Resonanz will also visit six cities in the region, including Manila, Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur, as part of its Southeast Asian tour.
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