Music education around the world varies tremendously. The quality of tuition depends on factors such as culture, finances and interest, as well as access to an educated workforce. I was invited to teach in Indonesia during October 2019, assuming the role of ‘grand mentor’ at the Sekolah Musik Kantata (Cantata Music School) for Cantata Youth Musician (a student performance programme).
This school's main hub is situated in North Jakarta, but it has several Jakartan premises and a few satellites all around Indonesia. The central school in Kelapa Gading, housed in a large complex called the Mall of Indonesia, accommodates lessons for over 600 students weekly, such is the interest and demand to learn a musical instrument. A range of instruments can be learned alongside music theory, and there are even options to study subjects like classical dance and hip-hop. Musical establishments in Indonesia are generally arts-based as opposed to solely musical.
The Cantata Music School is a Trinity College London examination centre and a growing number of pupils take these exams every year. While traditional instruments remain popular, there is increasing interest in western music and western culture, and, as in the case of other Far Eastern countries, the instant achievement found in certification also drives many.
Over a five-day period my role as ‘grand mentor’ was to work with both students and teachers, preparing students for a teatime concert, and this was followed by a day of workshops for teachers which focused purely on piano technique. Wherever I go to teach, particularly in developing or emerging countries, certain musical elements frequently appear problematic. This may be due to lack of student interest or practice, but, more often than not, it's sadly due to inadequate teaching.
Becoming a piano teacher in Indonesia is no easy feat. Teachers don't always have access to the necessary opportunities, and therefore they rely on acquiring Grade 8 or diploma exams from the major British examination boards. Perhaps this may change in coming years, but until that time, it falls to visiting teachers to implement a different approach. And that was my intention.
What's on the curriculum?
In Indonesia, while musical education programmes are largely dependent on finances and budgets, nearly all schools have music and arts classes as part of the national curriculum. Depending on the school attended, there are several types of curriculum: National, National Plus and International. The National Plus and International curriculum, as the titles suggest, will probably be implemented at private schools, whereas the National curriculum will be administered at government schools.
Basic music classes usually consist of solfège, which is often translated into ‘numbers’. Indonesians love to learn music via various number patterns and this is a common practice around the country, varying substantially from most European learning traditions and methods. Instruments commonly taught are the recorder and pianika or melodica (consisting of a very small piano keyboard with a mouthpiece attached, it is played by blowing air through the mouthpiece).
The National Plus and International curriculums will also offer the opportunity to sing in a choir, as well as learning instruments like the ukulele or keyboard. Wealthier schools may have a more sophisticated musical programme featuring a small to medium sized orchestra, band ensemble, and other small ensembles with guitar and violin. Occasionally they will also have music and arts festivals. These programmes ensure that the majority of Indonesian children at least have the chance to appreciate music.
Traditional instruments play their part in Indonesian society. Most popular are the gamelan, angklung, gambus, and the kolintang, and these are generally studied at a higher or university level, as opposed to in schools. The Institut Seni (Art Institute) in Yogyakarta and Bali have specific degree courses encouraging students to continue this vital tradition.
Western musical instruments are generally studied privately, outside of school hours. Children begin at a fairly young age in Indonesia, and they will either learn with a teacher privately in their home or in a designated musical school, like the Cantata Music School, or the Yamaha or Kawai Schools. About 75 percent of piano teachers in Indonesia are female, and these teachers have been obliged to think outside the box in order to achieve a decent music education themselves.
Teacher training
There are several universities offering higher level programmes for teachers, often a musicological or performance-based degree. Only one private institute, the Universitas Pelita Harapan Conservatory of Music, based in Tangerang, Java and established in 2000, offers a more comprehensive western music based programme (at present only education and performance, including some theory, composition and conducting) but only for those who can afford it.
As a result, teachers tend to rely on the particular school that employs them to assist in their training. Schools might run their own ‘teacher training’ programme, whereby the teacher will move through graded exams mostly set by the ABRSM or Trinity College London, culminating in one of the diplomas (possibly the ATCL or the DipABRSM teaching diploma). This will then be viewed as appropriate credentials, and only a very few will reach FRSM or FTCL level.
This practice runs from teacher to student, as parents increasingly view music exams as vital milestones for their children – essential for educational development and for personal achievement. They are also useful benchmarks for pupils who wish to study overseas. A diploma might help secure a place at music college or university in the USA, the Netherlands, Germany or the UK, all popular destinations for Indonesian undergraduates and postgraduates.
Some schools, like the Cantata Music School, provide regular workshops for teachers so that they are able to experience the teaching of various professors or renowned teachers from around the world. This can help engender a more holistic approach to instrumental teaching, substantially different to what might be offered by merely taking exams. The Cantata Music School has three ‘grand mentor’ visits each year, all offering something different in terms of teaching.
Resources and music
Method or tutor books aren't a popular commodity in Indonesia. With limited access to books and scores, teachers must be creative with their resources. Score downloading is a priority and sites such as the Petrucci Music Library (IMSLP) are fully utilised.
Indonesian composers who have contributed greatly to the musical education culture in recent years include Jaya Suprana (1949-), one of the first composers to incorporate traditional cultural songs into piano music. He is also an influential government figure. Ananda Sukarlan (1968-) has successfully combined western classical music with Indonesian music. And Addie Ms (1958-) is a conductor who has incorporated and arranged Indonesian music in to a distinctly western orchestral classical style.
Cultural exchanges are becoming justifiably popular. Companies such as Yamaha and Steinway & Sons all host their own performance platforms, festivals and competitions, in Indonesia and in nearby Singapore and Malaysia, opening up new horizons to young Indonesian students.
My five-day sojourn was an interesting experience. I worked with a whole gamut of students from elementary right up to diploma level. The student concert consisted almost entirely of my own piano duets and trios (or six hands at one keyboard) taken from Snapchats (80 Days Publishing), for late beginner to Grade 4 level. The students also studied and performed works from my volume of solo pieces, No Words Necessary (Schott). Most of those taking part had never played duets or trios before, and we worked on all the important musical elements such as fingering, keeping time and the quick assimilation of note patterns. Teachers observed the lessons, asking questions and then playing the pieces themselves.
The concert was a resounding success, and the students fully incorporated everything discussed during the lessons. They will hopefully have acquired a new set of ensemble skills, encouraging them to continue their musical journey with love, passion, commitment and motivation.
