Indonesians in Focus: Marusya Nainggolan

By Barrie | September 25th, 2007 | No Comments

Amid her tight schedule for the ongoing 6th Schouwburg Festival, which runs through Sept. 28, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ) director Marusya Nainggolan welcomed The Jakarta Post to her modest office, contained within an old house next to the main building.

Clad in an orange shirt and batik sarong with necklace and bracelet, Marusya looked fresh and energetic although she said she was tired.

“I went home late last night after attending a performance and meeting colleagues. This is how I spend my time almost every day,” she said.

Through meetings, she said, she met colleagues, state officials and foreign diplomats, and received inspiration and support.

Without external cooperation and support, Marusya said, it is almost impossible to run an arts organization like GKJ.

Born in Bogor, West Java, to a Batak family, Marusya is a pianist and a prolific composer. She received her early musical training from her father, Sutan Kalimuda Nainggolan, a school teacher who was also a violinist.

Realizing she had talent, her father sent Marusya to a music school. With music as her destiny, Marusya went to the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) to study piano and ensemble playing.

“I learned both pentatonic and classical (diatonic) music from a young age,” she said.

From 1980 to 1987, she was the recipient of a scholarship from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs to continue her studies at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, New South Wales.

Under the guidance of pianist Sonya Hanke and Graham Heir, Marusya obtained her bachelor’s degree.

She continued her studies at Boston University, U.S., where she earned an MA with a major in composition in 1989.

A great talent plus wide knowledge have turned Marusya into one of the nations most prolific composers.

“I take daily life as my inspiration,” said Marusya, the mother of an 11-year-old boy.

When the tsunami devastated parts of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) and West Sumatra in late 2004, Marusya expressed her sadness. She also encouraged people to be optimistic and resilient through the song Sambut Mentari Pagi (Greet the Morning Sun).

She also composed Kasih Yang Tulus (Real Love) in a display of empathy for survivors of the earthquake in Yogyakarta. On another occasion, she composed Kau (You), a song that underlines the need for friendship and solidarity.

Through the songs she composed, Marusya conveyed messages of brotherhood, unity and solidarity to Indonesians, regardless of their cultural background.

“Songs are universal. I try to bring message of peace to the songs I compose,” said Marusya, who performed at the opening of the Schouwburg Festival.

She said that she would always try to make her compositions flexible in the sense that they could be played either with an orchestra or a small instrumental ensemble.

Apart from her composing, Marusya has not forgotten her responsibilities as a mother. Once in a while, she takes her son to amusement centers or a shopping mall.

Sometimes, she also speaks at seminars or teaches at schools, be they elementary or university-level.

“My job is to run GKJ. Sometimes, however, I teach and speak at seminars. Usually, I talk about performance art and promote peace-building as well,” she said.

Friendship and respect

Even though she has been running GKJ for three years now, Marusya said, her job is very tough. She described how, with limited funding, she has to run the building and pay the monthly salaries of about 38 people.

“On any rational calculation, it is just impossible to run the house with such a small amount of money. Somehow, we do it,” she said.

GKJ belongs to the Jakarta administration, but the governor has declared it a self-administered institution. This status requires the house to seek funding for its operations.

“We have a small subsidy from the Jakarta administration. It is enough only for electricity, water and telephone bills,” she said.

Despite the limited funding, Marusya has never complained. Well, at least not in the past three years.

“I thank God because we can offer attractive programs to the public. We have to work together with other institutions, including foreign embassies,” she said.

Recently, at the festival opening, Adriana Palmieri, the wife of the Italian ambassador to Indonesia, took part in a poetry reading.
Students from SMA 8 high school in Jakarta also participated in the opening with an ensemble.

Not only did Marusya encourage diplomats and their wives to perform; she also appealed to state officials to have a go on stage to motivate others.

“The result is that amid their tight schedule as officials, they are willing to spend time at rehearsals,” she added.

To show the public the importance of friendship, Marusya has devised a special theme for this year’s Schouwburg Festival: “Friendship for Art, Art for Friendship“.

“In life, we have to respect others, otherwise we will have no friends. Who will help us then? I think we need to respect and to make friends,” she said.

The next question is, where can one find real friends? In today’s materialistic world it is hard to find them. People in many different places get involved in conflict because they do not restrain themselves.

“Friendship can exist if there is mutual respect,” she said.

Marusya is not preaching — she is a living example of that idea.
On a table inside her office she has arranged packs containing a variety of beverages: black coffee, cappuccino, plain tea, ginger tea, teh tarik (milk tea) and cereal.

Nearby, is a dispenser from which her guests can draw hot water.

“I’ve put these things here so that my guests can choose what they’d like to drink, as I don’t necessarily know. This is how I respect my colleagues,” said Marusya, who is partial to tea.

“Don’t ask me to cook, though, because I rarely go into the kitchen,” she said, with a grin.

Kurniawan Hari