2005 INDONESIAN TOUR

Following an invitation from the His Highness, the Sultan of Yogyakarta, the Choir and The Vocal Consort toured Indonesia in 2005.

They performed alongside Blue Scope Steel Youth Orchestra from Wollongong and talented young Indonesian musicians and dancers at a Royal Command Performance at the Sultan’s Palace. The concert, which was widely televised in Indonesia, was to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the Sultan’s coronation, and raise funds for 800 students from Aceh studying in Yogyakarta following the devastating tsunami that hit their home region in 2004.

The boys also performed at the eighth birthday celebrations of the Elephant Safari Park in Taro, Bali, established to provide a safe sanctuary for the endangered Sumatran elephant. The Choir and TVC were treated to a performance by the elephants, expertly moving and contorting their large forms and tossing around their mahouts. In return, the boys performed to the audience of local residents and dignities.

The tour demonstrated the important benefits achieved by cultural exchange and was expertly summed up in an essay written by one of the boys, Daniel, on his return. He wrote about the differences in lifestyle, food and music. He reflected on how hard the boys worked leading up to the tour, how at times he missed home and was tired, and about seeing poor people living on the streets. But he also enthused about the delight of performing to Indonesian audiences, of meeting new people, and consolidating friendships within the ABC, of new things and of wonderful sightseeing trips. Daniel concludes, “For me it was one of the best experiences of my life.”