Sutanto

Sutanto, Indonesian composer with radical tendencies; b. Magelang, Central Java, Feb. 5, 1954. He studied with Jack Body at the Akademi Musik Indonesia (A.M.I., a Western music cons, in Yogyakarta), and appeared with him in piano concerts; also studied psychology and literature. He founded a cultural center, Ritus Paguyuban (Inst, of Arts and Cultural Studies), in his native Magelang, and later initiated construction of a center near Candi Mendhut (on the road to Borododur), where he resides. Sutanto calls himself a “social engineer” rather than a composer; arranges day-long conglomerations of performing groups (martial arts, folk music, and trance dance) from neighboring villages and from the more urban Magelang (experimental ensembles). In 1989 he created Wayang Imaginasi, a shadow puppet play without shadows or puppets—as the puppet master tells the story and the gamelan plays, a painter stands at intervals and paints characters onto the screen. His works have been played in Indonesia as well as in England, Australia, and New Zealand; his Sketsa Ide (1979) was performed at the national festival, Pekan Komponis Muda. He is also active as a journalist and critic.

Works

Proses (1977); Apa (1979); Sketsa Ide for Chamber Orch., Percussion, and Pumps (1979); Musik Opera, consisting of Blues in My Shoes for 2 Guitars, Piano, and Vocalists, Wams Vs Gila, Pegawai Sinting (1981), and Suara Orang-orang Luka dan Lebaran ’82 for Tape (musique concrète) and 50 Dancers (July 23, 1982); Ritus Paguyban for 9 Ensembles totaling 74 Players; Senam Flute (1986); Wayang Imaginasi (1989).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire