Golden Fingers @ Kawai Newsletter No. 29 (June 2012)

GOLDEN FINGERS  

@ KAWAI Newsletter No. 29 - June 2012

“KAWAI” THE BEST PIANO IN THE WORLD

FOR GOLDEN FINGERS PIANO ENSEMBLES

by: Michael Gunadi Widjaja

composer & music worker

"Has comes into your mind when the word strings comes up?"

Most people would immediately associate it with violin. 
However, strings in classical music can also be implemented for other instruments such as piano or a guitar that uses strings as it main part.

The piano is pretty much intimate instrument that work fantastically for solo, group ensemble or orchestra. But not many know that the piano alone or a bunch of guitars can be an ensemble of its own and entertain us with a rich range of melodies.

A piano that is played by two people, three people or even four people could actually give you less monotone and a more interactive performance to watch. This is the essence that Jelia Megawati Heru has captured and implemented in her performance: “Golden Fingers Piano Ensembles” March 4th, 2012 at Taman Budaya Tegal, Central Java – as the soft opening for the most representative cultural arena theatre of the city with capacity of 1000 seats, professional lightings, and stage.

Jelia Megawati Heru is a music educator who graduated from Fachhochschule Osnabrueck Konservatorium Institut fuer Musikpadagogik and majored in music education for piano in Germany. She created event that will showcase the young teachers that she developed to participated in her music program. The Golden Fingers is not just an usual piano ensembles group, but a pilot project to implement the concept of  “Music from Passion”. Jelia believes that the piano ensemble is not only about playing piano together, but it is an actual effort to liven up the music.

About 15 repertoires from one piano - four hands, six hands, two pianos - eight hands to two pianos - twelve hands are chosen with various genres from Classical, Pop, Jazz, even traditional folksongs of Indonesia like Dang Dut. Featuring the imitation sound of the typewriter & interactive Leroy Anderson’s “The Typewriter” (for one piano – four hands) with note bells, theatrical Ralph Federer’s “Scarlet Cape”, William Gillock’s “Champagne Toccata”, and sensual composition of Indonesian composer Michael Gunadi Widjaja “Kemben” (for two pianos - eight hands) among others. With 6 talented pianists lining up for this event, these two-hours long concerts would be very dynamic and attractive to watch. 

Leroy Anderson "Typewriter" 

(for piano, four hands with note bells)

Ralph Federer "Scarlet Cape"

(for one piano, four hands)

Michael Gunadi Widjaja

- Medley Indonesian Folk songs -

"Soleram - Warung Podjok - Yamko Rambe Yamko" 

(for one piano, four hands)

William Gillock "Champagne Toccata" 

(for two pianos, eight hands)

That night, KAWAI RX-5 is able to accommodate the needs of Golden Fingers Piano Ensemble to produce a good accurate musical tuning, create rich differs tone character, also great mechanism touch, that makes the music much more passionate. Even the city major of Tegal, Mr. H. Ikmal Jaya SE, Ak. also gave a special music performance in that evening. KAWAI RX-5 has proven itselves worthy to hold the title as one of the best piano in history of Tegal.

It seems that piano nowadays has something more to offer than just a piano after all like what HIROTAKA KAWAI said:"At Kawai, the quest for perfection is not just an ideal... but a duty."

KAWAI as "The Future of the Piano" has made ​​history that the piano music is an art that can’t be separated from the piano as a product of art with precision and accuracy as well as exceptional accuracy. No wonder if George Kolakis said KAWAI Piano is one of the best in the world!