Ananda Sukarlan


Ananda Sukarlan is an Indonesian-Spanish classical composer and pianist.

Early life and career

Ananda is the son of Sukarlan and Poppy Kumudastuti. He started his music lessons at the age of 5 from his older sister, Martani Widjajanti. After graduating from Kolese Kanisius in 1986, he went to Europe when he was 17, graduated with summa cum laude in 1993 from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague under the guidance of Naum Grubert and was a prize winner of many international competitions, such as the Nadia Boulanger Award of Orleans. He has performed in many overseas festivals with symphony orchestras and ensembles of Berlin, Rotterdam, nearly all symphony orchestras in Spain, Paris, Wellington as well as appearances on radio and TV throughout Europe. He was the first Indonesian artist who established the cultural relationship between Portugal and Indonesia by performing as a soloist with the Portuguese National Symphony Orchestra in 2000, right after the re-opening of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. He is the only Indonesian listed in the book "2000 outstanding musicians of the 20th century" and "The International Who's Who in Music" published by Cambridge. Until the beginning of 2010 he has recorded 14 CDs, which include the complete piano works of Santiago Lanchares, David del Puerto, Jesus Rueda, Toru Takemitsu as well as works by Peter Sculthorpe, Amir Pasaribu, Trisutji Kamal, Theo Loevendie and of course himself.
As an equally successful composer, his works have been commissioned and performed by the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music, Indonesian Opera Society, among others. His collaboration with prominent choreographer Chendra Panatan has given birth to many works for ballet, performed both in Europe and Indonesia.
In 2007, he wrote an a cappella work for treble voices, "Hei! Jangan Kau Patahkan", which is later performed by Bina Vokalia Children's Choir a year later.
His groundbreaking opera written for one soprano only, based on a monologue by Seno Gumira Ajidarma, "IBU -- yang anaknya diculik itu" was just premiered in June 2009 in Jakarta. Until now he has written works for orchestra and instruments, but it is his production for voices, such as his more than 150 songs for voice and piano, choral works, 2 operas, 2 cantatas and theatre works that consolidated his high reputation as a composer by being frequently performed all around the world.
Other celebrated chamber / solo works include the string quartet "Lontano" for Midori Goto and her quartet, a guitar solo piece for Miguel Trapaga, many works for piano solo and multiple pianos. Projects in 2014 include his third opera, "Clara". He is also working on a series of musical works written for disabled musicians, on a commission by Fundacion Musica Abierta of Spain.
His works have been the object of studies for many doctoral thesis and other musical researches by many students, professionals, musicians and musicologists in the U.S, Europe and Australia.
He is a founding member of Musica Presente and Yayasan Musik Sastra Indonesia.
Although a Muslim himself, Ananda is highly critical of Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, whom he accuses of pandering to Islam extremists. When Baswedan showed up at a college reunion, Ananda chose to leave the room, an activity that he did spontaneously without asking anyone to follow what he did, as a declaration of his own views and morals. Hundreds of alumni, sharing the same views and moral conviction as Ananda also chose to leave the room with their own will. Unlike what most media reported, some attendants and alumni stayed until the end of Baswedan's speech.
Ananda's main residence is in the hills of Cantabria Santander, Spain. He was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and Tourette syndrome at the age of 28.

Honours and awards

  • 1988, Amsterdam, Eduard Elipse Award in Netherlands National Music Competition.
  • 1993 First Prize "Xavier Montsalvatge" — Concurso de Musica del Siglo XX Xavier Montsalvatge, Ginora, Spain
  • 1994 Third Prize, special distinction "Nadia & Lili Boulanger" - Concours International d’Orleans
  • 1994 First Prize "Blanquefort Piano Competition", Bordeaux, France
  • 1995 First Prize and Special Prize for The Best Interpreter of Spanish Music "City of Ferrol Piano Competition", Galicia, Spain
  • 1995 Second Prize "Sweelinck-Postbank", Amsterdam, the Netherlands
  • 1995 Third Prize "Fundacion Guerrero Competition", Madrid, Spain
  • 1996 Second Prize "Vienna Modern Master Performers Recording Award"
  • 2000 Outstanding Musicians on the 20th Century.
  • 2001 Nominee Unesco Prize
  • 2003 Mont Blanc Asia for his contribution for classical music industry in Indonesia
  • The first Indonesian pianist who be written in The International Who's Who in Music book.

Compositions

Opera

Pro Patria in 7 scenes, libretto by Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana adapted by Ananda Sukarlan, from his book "Kalah dan Menang"Mengapa Kau Culik Anak Kami in 2 acts, based on a play by Seno Gumira AjidarmaIbu—yang anaknya diculik itu based on a monologue by Seno Gumira Ajidarma—the sequel of "Mengapa Kau Culik Anak Kami".

Cantata

No. 1 Ars Amatoria based on poems by Sapardi Djoko Damono.No. 2 Libertas based on poems by Chairil Anwar, Ilham Malayu, Sapardi Djoko Damono, Walt Whitman, Luis Cernuda, WS Rendra, Hasan Aspahani.

Choral (a cappella)

Jokpiniana No. 1, for SSAATTBB 4'Kita Ciptakan Kemerdekaan, for SSATBarB 3'30Para Papa Mozart, for SSAATTBB 3'Psalm 148, for SSAATTBB 4'Parallel Madrigals Hei! Jangan Kau Patahkan, for SSAAA Hymn for the Olympic Sportsmen, for SSAA

Choral (and/or orchestral)

Stanza Suara, for 6-part choir, orchestra and angklungMarzukiana Pianistica, 2 fantasies for piano & orchestraMarzukiana Violinistica, 2 fantasies for violin & orchestraThe Voyage to Marege, for orchestra with flute concertante & optional didgeridooThe Arrival of Islam, for flute concertante & orchestra with optional didgeridooLove at the times of Srivijaya, for orchestraWagner's Restless Nights, a short overture for piano & orchestra Fons Juventatis, a short overture for piano & orchestraAn Ode to the Nation, for tenor solo, treble voices & orchestra Overture to Clara, for orchestraOverture to Tumirah, for orchestra

Chamber music

Requiescat, for English horn & string quartet or string orchestra 5'Lontano, for string quartet 5'Rescuing Ariadne, for flute & piano 6'30"Prelude and Intermezzo from the opera "Ibu", for flute & piano 6'Chamber music written for handicapped pianists. Can be played by normal pianistsSomeone's stolen her heart , for viola & piano 3'The Sleepers, for violin & piano 3'Sweet Sorrow, for violin & pianoFunfair Fanfare, for trumpet & piano 3'Nothing Gold can stay, for soprano & piano 2'Daun Jati, for baritone & piano 2'The Pirates are Coming, for 1 pianist with only 2 fingers acc. by 1 pianist

Piano(s)

The Humiliation of Drupadi, for 2 pianos 6'Schumann's Psychosis, for 3 pianos 6 pianists 5'30"5 Etudes for Solo PianoRapsodia Nusantara no. 1-10 for piano soloJust a Minute!, 13 pieces for left hand alone
  • ''37 easy to moderately difficult pieces in "Alicia's First Piano Book"''

Vocal works (accompanied by piano otherwise indicated)

Senyap Dalam Derai, 6 songs for sopranoGemuruhnya Malam, 4 songs for baritoneCanda Empat Penjuru, 4 short songs for baritoneA Untuk Akis, Alam dan Angkasa, 5 songs for baritoneIlham di Penjara, 3 songs for high voiceNyanyian Malam, 12 songs for medium voiceLove and Variations, 8 songs for soprano & baritone duetSajak 3 Bagian, for tenor and guitarArias from the opera "Pro Patria"
  • 3 duets from Cantata no. 1 "Ars Amatoria"Haikus on haikus by Abang Edwin SABibirku Bersujud di bibirmu, a "choreographic essay" based on a poem by Hasan Aspahani 14'Two songs on poems by Walt Whitman, for medium-high voice & piano ("I sit and look out" and "Darkness and my lover"Two Sapardi songs for Binu, for medium voice

Solo Instrumental

Satria Sendiri, for bassoon solo 3'You had Me at Hello, 3 pieces for flute solo 7'The 5 Lovers of Drupadi, for guitar solo 5'30"3 Star Signs, for oboe solo. each 1 - 2 minsBachlindrome, for cello solo

Discography

The Pentatonic Connection Complete Piano Works of Juanjo Mier CáravesTrisutji Kamal: CD 1 from "Complete Piano Works series" : Elaborations of Indonesian Folkmelodies and Individual WorksTrisutji Kamal : CD 2 Sunda Seascapes & Music for Films.Jesus Rueda: Complete Works for Strings and piano Jesus Rueda: Works for piano & ensemble Santiago Lanchares: Complete Piano WorksMusic on and off the Keys Peter Sculthorpe: Spirits of Place David del Puerto: Symphony no. 2 "Nusantara" for piano & orchestra
  • ''David del Puerto: Complete works for piano solo''