HumasUPNVJ - Graduation is something that is routinely carried out by every university, as well as UPN Veteran Jakarta. At the beginning of this year, on Sunday, March 8 2020, UPNVJ will hold its 64th graduation with the theme "Excellent Graduates with State Defense Identity for Advanced Indonesia".
Every year the graduation procession has the same technique where there is the submission of graduation folders and an inauguration procession by the chancellor. Unlike the previous year, this year there will be a lively performance by the UPN Veterans Jakarta State Defense Student Symphony Orchestra (SIMABARA).
Simabara will make his first appearance at the 64th graduation by performing 2 national songs and 1 contemporary song. As we know, keroncong is a musical genre in Indonesia that combines regional music and colonial music from the Portuguese and Dutch periods. Keroncong is characterized by the use of ukulele (a type of small guitar), guitar, violin, piano and flute.
Iwan Kresna who is a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business as well as one of the initiators of the presence of Simabara UPNVJ. On the occasion when he was interviewed he said “ this art is presented to fight for regional arts and culture. His trademark is using tools from various regions, namely the regions of West Java, Central Java, Bali, Padang, North Sulawesi. This activity is an implementation of defending the country and we will continue to develop it with other tools going forward, " he said during an interview.
Iwan also said that these students were trained by keroncong practitioners directly for 6 meetings. He also hopes that Simabara will continue to preserve the kencong in the future. And the first performance will present a lively keroncong orchestra. During the rehearsal, there were 4 keroncong practitioners who directly trained Simabara. I hope that the Simabara orchestra will continue to be able to develop musical arts from various regions and maintain the preservation of keroncong culture. We present it later with enthusiasm and joy. The main target of this orchestra is to continue to be in demand by all students, especially at UPN Veteran Jakarta, "he explained.
Mia Aunillah Najdain, a student at the Faculty of Health Sciences as well as an angklung player in Simbara, said about her experience in the world of keroncong and her new experience of being able to join Simabara UPNVJ, “I had previously played angklung when I was in junior high school, and now my main motivation for being a part of Simabara is I have a high enough desire to preserve Indonesian culture and a sense of longing to return to playing the angklung that I left long ago," said Mia.
“ There is a new experience at Simabara, namely that the violin and guitar can be put together in keroncong, which before I did not know that these musical instruments could be combined as well. In my opinion, this activity is also an implementation of State Defense because we as students can preserve traditional culture and uphold existing sustainability. I hope that Simabara will continue to exist and that Simabara is open to anyone who wants to play a musical instrument with heart, " he said.
The considerable support from the Chancellor and the UPN Veterans Jakarta ranks made the enthusiasm of the Simabara players grow even more. Players try their best to minimize mistakes and try to be as perfect as possible from each performance during practice. With one passion they hope to give their best performance in the 64th graduation as their first performance.
