BAMBOO FOR PEACE, An Angklung Orchestra in New York City

Bamboo For Peace Angklung NYC
Bamboo For Peace, ECOSOC Chamber, UNHQ

"Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen..
Good evening and welcome to BAMBOO FOR PEACE"
It is indeed a great honor for us to welcome you all in this beautiful ECOSOC Chamber at the UN Headquarters.
Are you ready to have fun?
Let's start our beautiful soirée and give a big warm of applause to our one and only, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani.."


Happy to be the MC of the day :)

I was just running from the security gate helping some guests to get in to the UN Headquarters that night just minutes before I opened the event as the Master of Ceremony that night.
Good thing I wore my flat shoes, although my Tenun Bali might be screaming as I ran around that night.
Yet, I was super excited and eagerly welcoming the dignitaries and audience to ECOSOC chamber that night!


BAMBOO FOR PEACE, an enchanting journey of Indonesian sounds and rhythms, beautifully played in Angklung, a UNESCO Intangible Heritage instrument.


Angklung Indonesia  ECOSOC

Have you heard Angklung before?
Or probably even play it?
Some of you might have heard of it before and even are so familiar with this beautiful traditional musical instrument.

What is Angklung?
For those who are not familiar with this traditional musical instrument, Angklung is the traditional musical instrument made of bamboo. Those bamboo tubes are hung or suspended in a bamboo frame and bound with rattan cords. Very traditional and environmentally friendly. As I read on the open sources, those bamboo tubes are carefully whittled and cut masterfully by the craftsperson, in order to produce specific sound and tune, with different notes. You play it by shaking it in a certain way so it will sound beautifully. You need to play a complete set of angklung in order to play the complete song or arrangement. That's why Angklung is resembling important values of teamwork, mutual respect and social harmony. Isn't it beautiful!



We just had an event of BAMBOO FOR PEACE, to celebrate the World day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. It was held in ECOSOC Chamber on Monday, April 30th, 2018. The first time ever Angklung is played at the United Nations Headquarters!

We brought an angklung orchestra from House of Angklung in Washington D.C and the Angklung Master from Saung Angklung Kang Udjo, Bandung, as well as the dancers from Jugala Taya. The event was also sponsored by the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, as well as our Embassy in Washington D.C.

We had a full house that night!
More than 500 seats at the ECOSOC Chamber was occupied!

As we opened the event, my Ambassador gave a brief welcoming remarks and highlighted the beauty of Angling, as well as the message of peace, beauty of friendship and engaged cooperation and partnership.

Then the Orchestra played Blue Danube by Johan Strauss as the opening. 
Those beautiful melodies sound so familiar I believe everyone enjoyed it.
After that, a medley of Indonesia traditional songs were played.
Bungong Jeumpa from Aceh, Gethuk from West Java, and Yamko Rambe Yamko were so fun!




Then we had another Indonesian traditional song, Es Lilin, from West Java, before New York New York from Frank Sinatra beautifully filled the chamber and people sang along with it!



It was a full house indeed!
So proud to hear the beautiful melody of Angklung being played for the first time in the UN Chamber!





And I can say the ambassadors and all our distinguished guests were enjoying the interactive session of Angling!

And we also had the interactive session, when each audience was given one's own angling to play. And we played it all together!











Lullaby, Can't Help Falling in Love from Elvis Presley, kakatua and We Are the Works from Michael Jackson, played together with the audience during the interactive session.
So much fun!

I will certainly be back with more photos and stories on these lovely event!
And thank you to my hubby for all these wonderful photos :).

Please enjoy  these photos.









So, do you like traditional musical instruments?
Do you think you will love Angklung too?











63 comments:

  1. Wooowwwww pada nyobain angklungnya ya bulenya😍😍😍😍

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  2. Awesome! Keren banget udah kebayang gimana meriah dan bangganya. You're so fab! Kece jadi MC of the day.

    Wtg! 😍

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  3. Keren Mbak Indah. Senang melihat angklung ada di sana.

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  4. Hi, beautiful MC for the night of ECOSOC Chamber. Splendid. I like n familiar with the Angklung orchestra especially when attending my children played the instrument long, long time ago....lol... Look forward to having a good news from you sometime in August.(?)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Bunda.. Indeed it was fun and lovely to hear the performance. Hope to see you around ya Bunda

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  5. I have never heard Angklung being played before, but seeing the smiles on everyone's faces in your photos, I am sure it was played beautifully.

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    1. I was happy to see how excited my friends and those Ambassadors playing Angklung together! And if you’re close, I would definitely invite you as well

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  6. keren, mba indah. angklung bisa sampai new york dan diakui sebagai budaya Indonesia yang unik ya. pantes bule banyak yang suka kesenian ini kalau main ke bandung, hehe

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    Replies
    1. Iyaaa bener.. soalnya cakep bangeeet kalau dimainkan sama-sama mba!

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  7. Keren ... salah satu alat musik traditional diapresisasi para bule 👍

    Kita semua wajib mencintai dan ikut mengenalkan budaya seni lokal agar makin dikenal di banyak negara.

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    Replies
    1. Betul mas. bangga banget aku dengan seni lokal Indonesia

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  8. Cantik jadi MC 😍 Waktu SD aku main angklung dan beberapa tahun lalu aku ke Saung Mang Udjo, seruuuu. Oya pacarku orang US dan dia kadang dengar musik tradisional juga, dia suka sama musik di wayang dan musik Sunda. Belum tertarik sama angklung. Tapi ibuku suka banget dengar angklung di HP nya 😊

    Btw, kalau dengar We are the World pasti aku merinding deh ❤

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    1. Iya Indi.. waktu di geneve aku sukaaaa banget dan gabung di group Angklung Le Sangkuriang di Swiss. Di NYC ngg sempet.. tapi super happy waktu tau Saung Mang udjo dateng

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  9. rasanya bangga banget kalau budaya kita bisa diapresiasi seperti itu. Semoga di dalam negeri, budaya kita bisa berjaya di negerinya sendiri juga. Amiin

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    Replies
    1. Betuuul.. jangan lupa support kekayaan budaya Indonesia

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  10. huwaahhh seneng ya mbak kalo orang2 suka sama kebudayaan kita

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  11. keren mbak, angklung masuk UN Chamber, sukses acaranya :)

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    Replies
    1. Iya.. for the first time ever! Makanya banggaaa sekaliii

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  12. Waktu SD pernah diwajibkan belajar. Ternyata main angklung tidak semudah kelihatannya, harus kompak. Setelah bisa, rasanya menenangkan mendengarkan musiknya. Bangga angklung semakin mendunia

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  13. Wah bangga nih jadi orang Indonesia. Angklungnya sudah sampai America sana...

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  14. Wah..bangga banget ya, angklung dimainkan ama bule2 sana. Saatnya lebih menduniakan angklung ya mba.

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    Replies
    1. Betul mba ..dan mereka antusias bangeet lho mainnya

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  15. Waa Im very proud as long as I read this post :D

    Di Indonesia, jarang yang main angklung. Dan di luar negri justru dengan bangga di perkenalkan.
    Jadi pengen belajar :D

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    Replies
    1. aku seneeeng main angklung..di Jenewa dulu pernah gabung dengan tim angklung

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  16. Angklung musik indonesia yang mempunyai ciri khas baik bahan membuat, teknik membuatnya, cara memainkan dan perlu kekompakan

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    Replies
    1. betul sekali..karenanya bangga bisa perkenalkan di luar negeri

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  17. Indonesia harus bangga nih, seatnya full dan yang didendangkan lagu daerah Indonesia. Bangga deh!

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    Replies
    1. Betul! Itu orang sampai berdiri di sisi kanan kiri untuk nonton!

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  18. Bangga banget niih...salah satu alat musik Indonesia bisa mendunia.
    dan itu angklung.

    Kereen...
    Meskipun saya bukan orang Sunda, tapi saat ini sedang menjejak di Bandung.
    Rasanya bahagiaa sekali.

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    Replies
    1. Aku pun sama. Dan sebagai orang Indonesia, ada perasaan tersendiri melihat angklung digemari warga dunia

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  19. Jadi inget, anakku waktu SD harus ikut pelajaran extra di sekolah, pilihnya angklung :)

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  20. Keren.. Angklung sdh journey kemana2. Aku bangga deh. Walau ga pernah sekalipun main angklung tapi liat bule2 pada ikut main kok jadi mupeng nyari angklung.:D

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  21. Mbak, ada videonya di Youtube gak sih? Mau dengar New York New York pakai angklung. So proud of this local musical instrument.

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  22. Hello Mbak MC hehe...
    Bangga banget angklung dikenal di Amerika :D
    Kayaknya pernah megang sekali angklung ini saat kecil tapi aku lupa di acara apa mbak. Waktu itu semua dipegangin angklung dan ngikuti petunjuk konduktor pas waktunya goyang2in hehe

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  23. Wah keren banget..i love angklung..n so proud angklung sdh go international..n proud of you too mba mc yg awesome ��

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha..thank you! Happy to know you love angklung too

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  24. Kereeeeen mba Indah. Meski aku gak pernah pegang angklung tapi aku suka menikmati musik angklung. Bangga angklung ada disana :D

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  25. Aku suka alat musik tradiaional mba, aku suka suara angklung denger mya sambil makan masakan sunda di saung mantap mba *salfok*

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    Replies
    1. hahaha..makin enak makannya sambil dengerin angklung

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  26. Bangga deh kalau ada angklung yang dimainkan dengan baik seperti ini. Apalagi ampe go international. Mantapp

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    1. The House of Angklung is professional..mereka sudah main ke mana-mana. Yang mengajarinya Pak Sam Udjo dari Saung Mang Udjo Bandung

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  27. Kereeeen, angklung udjo ini sudah terkenal urusan memperkenalkan angklung ke mata dunia. Seneng deh ngedengerinnya, seru bunyinya

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    1. Indeed! They are so goos sampai semua yang nonton hebooh

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  28. Mak, aku padamuuh, kece banget tuh MC nyaaa
    Pastinya sangat bangga ya mendengar angklung ada di negeri orang lain, hiks..terharuu euy..

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    Replies
    1. hi teeeh geulis..iya niiih, seru deh ada konser angklung di Markas Besar PBB. Dan memang Saung Mang Udjo plus House of Angklung juaraaaa

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  29. Kalo angklung belum pernah liat pagelaran di luar negeri, baru di tulisan mba Indah ini deh. Sebelumnya aku pernah liat pertunjukkan gamelan yang semuanya orang bule, pakai segala asesoris pakaian Jawa pula. So proud angklung bisa go internasional juga!

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  30. What a nice way to let people know more about our culture, more positive news from Indonesia!

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  31. Proud of you Mbak Indah :) semoga kesenian2 Indonesia tetap terjaga ya, dan semoga semakin banyak komunitas seni di Indonesia khususnya di kota-kota kecil, suka miris dan kasihan pemerintahan di daerah kurang peduli dengan perkembangan seni daerahnya. Ada info ga mbak untuk teman2 di daerah kalau pingin dapat info training atau dana hibab untuk pengembangan komunitas seni? thanks for sharing

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  32. Bangga sama kesenian tradisional yang mendunia... semoga angklung semakin diminati baik di dalam negeri dan di mancanegara...

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  33. Bangga sama kesenian tradisional yang mendunia
    mari kita dukung indonesia go internasional dalam sektor apapun

    ReplyDelete

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