Students of various schools participated in 2023 National Karawitan Festival for Students, which was held by Untar, Wednesday (23/9) at Graha Swara, Untar Campus. This event became the opening of the Untar’s 64th Dies Natalis series of events.
Head of Committee Dr. Rasji, S.H., M.H. said this event becomes a signature of Untar’s Dies Natalis. Untar wants more Indonesian youths to enjoy karawitan as a form of art, therefore, this festival was held.
Untar’s Gamelan Group Sekar Taruma
“Untar itself is a university that owns a set of gamelan and a team named Seni Karawitan Tarumanagara (Sekar Taruma). We also provide opportunities for students that would like to learn karawitan as a process of Independent Learning-Independent Campus,” said Rasji that also serves as Vice Rector I of Untar.
The Karawitan Festival was participated by eight schools, namely SMA Tunas Indonesia, SMA Penabur Tangerang, SMA Notre Dame Jakarta, SMA Pangudi Luhur, SMK Muhammadiyah 3 Cileungsi, SMAN 20 Jakarta, SMAN 8 Jakarta, and SMP Citra Nusantara Tangerang. Sekar Taruma, which members are lecturers, staffs, and students of Untar, presented a few songs in this Karawitan Festival.
Rector of Untar Prof. Dr. Ir. Agustinus Purna Irawan, M.T., M.M., I.P.U., A.E. during the opening said that there are not many universities that own a set of gamelan and facilities that suport karawitan, unlike Untar, which managed to organize this event.
He said that although such event might not be as popular as modern dance and other similar activities in the eyes of the youth, Untar feels the need to organize Karawitan Festival as a form of Untar’s commitment in preserving Indonesian culture.
Lecturer of Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta, Suraji, S.Kar., M.Sn. who became one of the judges, said that this kind of event needs to be organized regularly in order to encourage youths interested in karawitan.
“Us as the performers, observers, and activists of karawitan, would like to appreciate Untar, as there are not many universities in Jakarta that aware, let alone organize such event. This is a form of Untar’s commitment in preserving Indonesian traditional musical art,” he added.
The board of judges which members were Suraji, S.Kar., M.Sn., representative of The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Joko Sulistyono, S.Sn., M.M., and representative of Radio Republik Indonesia Arts and Culture division Sambowo Agus Herianto, S.Sn. concluded SMAN 8 Jakarta as the winner, meanwhile, SMA Penabur Tangerang and SMP Citra Nusantara Tangerang as the second and the third winner. Furthermore, the judges also concluded SMAN 8 Jakarta as the best Mars Tarumanagara performer.
Besides karawitan, Untar’s commitment in preserving Indonesian arts and culture is also reflected in conducting wayang performance and traditional dance competition at the campus.
In Untar’s graduation ceremonies, Untar has always implement Indonesian traditional arts of various regions, which awarded by Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI). (VW/YS/AW)
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