I recently got hooked by classical music. I found two set violin couple years ago, but not too much until recently. Before that, the only classical music I ever listen is the album of Phantom of The Opera and Ghibli’s music from Joe Hisaishi until I listen to Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. That piece is really beautiful that I replayed every movement without getting bored. What a wonderful piece.

So, then I found Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra is going to have a concert live from Youtube at 12 September 2020. And I thought, wow, such a perfect timing for me, to in depth with classical music. So, I set my reminder to watch them live, right, but before that, I need to go to computer store to upgrade my laptop Ram. I thought it’s not going to take more than an hour, but it takes the whole three hours because my laptop somehow, is having a breakdown and the guy who did it my laptop have to try every brand of ram they have to make it compatible with my laptop. So, I finally managed to watch them live in a car on my way back home.

So, they started at 5pm. Because the title is Family Concert, all pieces they played is something that all of age group is going to enjoy. They stated in their video, that the highlighted musical instruments are Viola, Bassoon, Flute, Piccolo Flute, and French Horn. And they’re not going to play the whole two hours movement like usual orchestra did, but they played every couple of pieces a little bit with introduction between them.

The concert opening was the introduction by the beautiful and talented conductor, Eunice Tong, about how she and all musicians misses people especially children in concert hall and how she stated that, even when people don’t play any musical instrument, people still have voice to make music. She introduces four instrument families and how they all different in size, shape, and of course sound.

I stated this complete playlist from their Youtube channel. They only post this concert for three days that sadly, when this post is up, they already make it private. So, here the setlist …(by the way, sorry for low quality of images here, I screenshot those from Youtube)

Gounod Mirror Variations

They first piece from Faust – Ballet Music. The conductor wants us to watch how all musician play the instrument in this piece.

 Mozart Rondo Alla Turca

This piece is very famous that maybe people already listened to it without knowing the title. She said that this piece is originally for piano, but because this piece is very famous, they make the orchestra version. And before they play the orchestra version, she wants us to hear the piccolo version.

Debussy Golliwogg’s Cakewalk

The last piece from Debussy six movement called Children’s Corner for his three years old daughter based on her toys. The conductor introduces how to play this piece by viola and bassoon before the orchestra version.

Bizet L’Arlesienne Suite 1: Minuet

She said that this piece is started by the strings then woodwind and brass join along. Every instrument complements each other even though all of the instrument gives different sound.

Bizet L’Arlesienne Suite 1: Carillon

French horn is the shiny star of this piece.

Delibes Pizzicati

This piece in this concert is like the introduction to how to play string instrument without bow.

Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite: Trepak

Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite: March

Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Road Pipes

Ponchielli Dance of the Hours

The conductor, Eunice Tong, said that this piece is one of her favourites because it’s short and playful.

Bizet Carmen: Les Toreadors

They close the concert with high spirit piece that maybe everybody already knows about this one.

The concert only less than an hour long, but it’s still beautiful. This concert is great concert for people who just got into classical music, whether for a listener like me or people who just started play their instrument.

Let’s hope together so this pandemic is going to end by next year so we can attend their concert right in the concert hall. I never been there so, I really want to hear them play more, especially the formal concert with soloist or only the orchestra.

Bye~