"Now, how can musical instruments like the angklung, with their unique appeal, be chosen by foreign musicians as elements in their songs? This is what the ministry is working on," Deputy Minister of Culture Giring Ganesha said on Friday.
He noted that each traditional Indonesian instrument has its own strengths.
For example, the angklung was inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in 2010, while Indonesian singer Niki Zefanya has performed internationally using gamelan accompaniment for the song You’ll Be in My Heart.
"The sound of the gamelan is extraordinary — it makes the song more profound," Ganesha said.
He expressed confidence that young Indonesians are increasingly appreciating local culture. "I'm sure young Indonesians are now very proud of their culture."
This, he said, is evident from the enthusiasm of young people attending music festivals featuring local musicians and the growing audience for Indonesian films.
Earlier, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said that Indonesia's diverse musical works, reflecting the cultural and ethnic diversity of the archipelago, should be introduced to the world.
He noted that Indonesia has more than 1,000 types of traditional music and over 200 traditional musical instruments.
"Indonesian music is very rich, both traditional and modern, and has developed rapidly since the 1950s. Therefore, it needs to be continuously promoted internationally," Zon said.
According to him, Indonesian music holds strong global appeal, as seen in its frequent use as a subject of ethnomusicological research.
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Translator: Farhan Arda Nugraha, Asri Mayang Sari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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