G20 orchestra to push colaboration gender equality

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The G20 Orchestra, a newly founded orchestra by Indonesia, which is chairing this year's G20 Presidency, will promote collaboration and gender equality in the world of art, especially classical music.

"This orchestra must not be ordinary, it must make a breakthrough and something new. For example, gender equality, where the world of classical music is still considered very male, so we involve female musicians in it," founder and artistic director of the G20 Orchestra Ananda Sukarlan said at an online meeting on Wednesday.

According to the Indonesian composer and pianist, the orchestra's gender-equality target of achieving a balanced involvement of women and men in the event has been nearly accomplished with 26 female musicians and 34 male musicians joining it.

He informed that the orchestra--whose world premiere at Borobudur Temple will feature some of the world's best musicians--will also involve many young talents.

"Since we want to innovate, we need young people to be involved in conducting this event," Sukarlan said.

He further said that the G20 Orchestra will also raise the issue of disability and will abide by the Indonesian G20 Presidency slogan Recover Together, Recover Stronger.

Sukarlan expressed the hope that the G20 Orchestra will become Indonesia's legacy in the history of classical music in the international arena.

"Given that we involve musicians from various backgrounds and different cultures, also speak different languages. But in the end, music is a universal language, so music can also unite differences," he remarked.

He argued that music is not only about entertainment, but can also be a tool of diplomacy and communication to enhance people-to-people contact among countries.

In fact, the Orchestra has musicians from 18 G20 countries.

The G20 Orchestra -- initiated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology to promote classical Indonesian music--will be held at Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, on September 12, 2022.