Sing for the World Part IV: Beautiful Melodies in Bandung

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For reading the first series of “Sing for the World” about the introduction and achievement of Voca Erudita choir group, please click here:Sing for the World Part 1: On Behalf of Indonesia, They Will Sing for the World

For reading the second series of “Sing for the World” about the love of Voca Erudita choir group to Sebelas Maret University and Solo city plus about its fabulous concert, please click here:Sing for the World Part II: The Fire Comes from Here

For reading the third series of “Sing for the World” about the Hong Kong student who gets involved in Voca Erudita, please click here: Sing for the World Part III: Originally from Hong Kong, Bunch of Love for Indonesia.

What do you have in mind when you hear the word "Bandung"? Most of you may answer for its call as "Paris Van Java", or "Kota Kembang" (the city of flowers), or even the factory outlets clothing centres. For tourism lovers, they may mention Bandung is typical with Gedung Sate in which some people call it as the White House of Bandung. They also may mention other tourism attractions in Bandung such as Cibaduyut Bag and Shoes Centre, Geology Museum, Ciater Hot Water Baths, and Ciwidey Strawberry Farmland. For the youths, absolutely they will not forget to say about the new fancy spot "Trans Studio Bandung".

For Voca Erudita UNS choir group, Bandung is such a memorable city which is full of beautiful melodies. Bandung has been their special place to relieve their amazing energy through the nice composition of vocals. Yes, Voca Erudita has written one of their histories in the main city of West Java. They have resonated their graceful voices in the 1st Bandung International Choir Competition, July 2 -4, 2011.

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The battle of voices had begun in Bandung. The best choir groups have landed there for giving their best. For Voca Erudita, that competition was the very good moment to show what they had practised and learned before plus they could take it as the preparation before going to the 4th Grand Prix Pattaya in Thailand in July 20 - 24, 2011. With Professor Andre de Quadros for United States of America as Artistic Director and Tommyanto Kandisaputra as the president of that event, the 1st Bandung International Choir Competition is very prestigious choir competitions that became the very challenging step for Voca Erudita.

All participants had to show their amazing performances in front of the great adjudicators. Adjudicators were the expert of choirs, musics, and art performances from all over the world. Well, what participants could say, the event was proven as exalted choir competition. The Adjudicators were:

1. Professor Andre de Quadros from United States of America

He is the Professor of Musics in Boston University and also well known as the world class conductor and ethnomusicologist.

2. Myguel Santos e Castro from Portugal

Castro has contributed a lot in world music by teaching piano, acoustic guitar, and musical theory. He has travelled in France, Japan, Estonia, and Mexico from his work in choral.

3. Miguel Felipe from United States of America

Felipe is the Visiting Director of Choral Activities Professor if Conducting at the Oberlin College and Conservatory and Artistic Director of the Boston Choral Ensemble.

4. Jamie Hillman from United States of America

The musicians with various talents in the branches of art. From his great talent, he has been awarded for his career as singer, pianist, composer, and conductor.

5. Wang Jin from China

Currently she has important position in Chinese choirs, since she is the vice chairman of the China Chorus Association and the vice chairman of the Shanghai Chorus Association.

6. Lars Ake Levin from Swedia

His dedication toward music is incredible as proven from his 26 years of working as choir master and teacher in conducting at the Royal College of Music, Stockholm.

7. Daud Kosasih from Indonesia

He currently has the position as Education Manager in Eramustika Indah Music School and President of Medan Choral Society.

8. Catharina Leimana from Indonesia

She has great experiences in choral music from her liveliness to get involved for that field for almost 30 years. She graduated from Conservatorium Giuseppe Verdi Milano, Italy.

9. Anne Charlotte Lundell from Swedia

Now, she works as Director of Operations for the Swedish Chamber Orchestra.

There were 10 categories in that choir competition. Audiences could watch from the category of children, youth, until senior choir. Of course, there were male choir and female choir plus mixed choir category. Participants could also join musica sacra category, gospel and spiritual, pop and jazz, and folklore. "The Vocal Wars" had interestingly started with fabulous choir groups such from Hasanuddin University from South Sulawasi, UPH Choir, Atmajaya Yogyakarta Choir, Johor Bahru Nantah Choir Malaysia, and still so many other marvelous choir groups.

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Big appreciation had to be given to Voca Erudita since they could come back to their "home university" UNS with several awards:

1. Gold Medal - 2nd Place in Folklore Category

With songs: Marencong Rencong and Gundul Gundul Pacul

2. Silver Medal - 1st Place in Pop and Jazz

With songs: Tea for Two and Aku Melangkah Lagi

3. Silver Medal - 5th Place in Gospel and Spiritual Category

With songs: Elijah Rock and Sifuni Mungu

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Voca Erudita members are not easy to be satisfied from those achievements. They keep going hand in hand to use that experience in Bandung as the new source of fire to be ready in the competition in Thailand. Bandung is really place of beautiful melodies for them with enormous inspiration to keep evaluating, practising, and maintaining solidity and togetherness. Let's pray for them for still being able to giving the best for Indonesia as they have given in 2009 by becoming Grand Champion in Folklore Category and Gold Medal in Chamber Category in A Voyage of Song Choir Competition (AVOS) in Penang Malaysia and in 2010 by becoming Grand Champion in Mix Chamber Category and Gold Medal in Folklore Category in 6th World Choir Games 2010 in Shaoxing, China. Keep singing for the World Voca Erudita!!!

to be continued

Note : This is the part IV of “Sing for the World” Series written by Sonny Hendrawan Saputra to capture every struggle and beautiful moment of Voca Erudita in their way to face  1st Bandung International Choral Competition July 2- 4, 2011 and 4th Grand Prix Pattaya in Thailand in July 20 - 24, 2011