By: Tri Prasetyo
About Keroncong Biru
Ethnomusicology-Keroncong Biru is a keroncong group from Kapanewon Pakem, Sleman. Keroncong Biru consists of young people with different backgrounds. Keroncong Biru was formed on the basis of their great love for keroncong music. The majority of the songs performed are pop genre with keroncong music arrangements. The characteristic singing technique of the vocalist tends to be calm or soft.
Keroncong Biru comes from the church community, namely young Catholics (OMK) who have performed at various events, since the formation of the keroncong group in 2016. Keroncong Biru usually performs offline performances such as at events wedding, thanksgiving, and music festivals.
However, since the occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic, performances that were originally carried out offline have now changed to virtual forms of performance, especially through YouTube Platform. Keroncong Biru has a goal to preserve keroncong music through cover pop songs and create original songs. In addition, the group also connects directly with the community through engagements to accompany church services and performs at various events to entertain audiences both virtually and offline.
Working in Virtual Space
Pandemic covid-19 has changed human life to some extent. The spread of the virus is quite massive resulting in restrictions on community activities. These restrictions require people to avoid crowds. The prohibition of gathering makes people shift from the real to the virtual space. Similarly, in the music scene, music performances live which is usually packed with spectators (audience) is no longer possible. A number of event music performances that had been planned to be held in 2020 were forced to be canceled or turned into vitual performances. Major music festivals in Indonesia such as Syncronize, Soundrenaline, and Java Jazz were also forced to change the show from real to virtual.
Although most of the music performances are virtual, the Solo Keroncong Festival is still held in person. hybrid (face-to-face and virtual) The festival was held on November 7 and 8, 2021 at the Convention Hall Tirtonadi and was attended by 11 groups of national and international origin. The event was attended by keroncong maestro Waldjinah, as well as several keroncong singers from Solo including Endah Laras and Sruti Respati. Solo Keroncong Festival (SKF) 2021 comes with the theme Historia and Millennial which aims to preserve and develop keroncong music, so that the younger generation is able and willing to appreciate, adopt keroncong music in accordance with the times. This performance is expected to be a spirit for the entire community, creative industry and keroncong art.
Keroncong Biru consists of 9 members led by Daniel. The name keroncong Biru was chosen because it means calm and stable, just like Keroncong Biru's hope that the keroncong group can be stable and survive from time to time. Before the pandemic Covid-19, Keroncong Biru performs offline or face-to-face from stage to stage. Orkes Keroncong Biru has previously filled in various art stages such as the 2016 Yogyakarta Arts Festival (FKY), Soundrenaline 2017, Keroncong Plesiran 2018 and the 2018 Keroncong Plesiran. Tribute To Chrisye 2018.
Nowadays, Blue Keroncong performances are performed virtually through Platform YouTube. Virtual performances certainly cannot be confused with offline (face-to-face) performances. We can enjoy offline performances when the performance takes place in person. live While virtual performances are a form of interaction between the audience and the performer that is carried out through cyberspace, with the help of the internet. Virtual performances are carried out to avoid crowds during a pandemic and direct contact between humans or people. audience. However, the existence of virtual performances provides a new form of presentation in the world of performing arts.
A peek into Keroncong Biru's production kitchen
Keroncong Biru has a simple organizational structure in managing virtual performances or offline performances including the chairman, manager, and all Keroncong Biru personnel. Management is carried out in a mutual cooperation system to organize coordination between players, training schedules, performance schedules, promotions, and financing. The production process to produce a video that is ready to be enjoyed by the public is carried out by determining the song, working on the song, rehearsing, preparing costumes, making videos, mixing and mastering, and uploading to the website. YouTube Platform.
- Production
Production is the material for creating a performance or work of art, one of which is the process of making a video cover by the Keroncong Biru group. Mixing and mastering were done by Daniel while the video take was done by Alvin, besides that the selection of costumes was agreed upon jointly between Keroncong Biru members. The process of working on the Keroncong Biru music group song is done directly during the training process. The composing process includes music and songs thought of together with each other personnel provide ideas and input when composing instrumental music. Arrangements are done orally there are some uses of sheet music but in the form of chords C, F, G, or Roman symbols I, IV, V, the use of Roman numerals or chords is done because it is considered quite easy for Keroncong Biru personnel, compared to the beam note sheet which is quite difficult to understand because some Keroncong Biru personnel are not familiar with the beam note sheet.
- Costumes
Every performance or art performance of course costumes become an attraction for the audience, costumes are the most basic thing in performing a performance. The use of costumes at the time of the performance, aims to beautify and attract the audience when performing. In the selection of costumes, Keroncong Biru does not have strict provisions, some virtual performances the selection of costumes used is casual and free neat.
- Distribution
Distribution is a place to display a performance or work of art. Marketing in the Keroncong Biru group performances offline is organized independently by Keroncong Biru personnel, one of which is Daniel and assisted by other personnel in preparing offline performances. For performances that are carried out virtually through social media, Alvin, as the manager of Keroncong Biru, is usually assigned as the holder of the Tiktok and Instagram applications, while Daniel is in charge of managing the Keroncong Biru YouTube account. So between the leader or group leader and the Manager there is interrelated cooperation. The organization contained in the Keroncong Biru group in managing performances or marketing only has two organizational structures, namely, manager and crew. Here are some of the duties of the manager and crew of the Keroncong Biru group.
With the development of the digital era, people can now enjoy and explore various networks on the internet, and can watch various entertainment and education for free including music videos, movies, and virtual learning. With the existence of more modern applications and technology, many art workers and musicians are turning to the digital world to take advantage of the considerable opportunities in the music industry, coupled with the pandemic period which is still not fully recovered. So performances that were originally presented openly are now held in virtual form. Virtual music performances to meet market needs and entertain people who are thirsty for entertainment, especially in keroncong music performances.
Library
Fakhrudin, M. 2021. “Keroncong Festival Featuring Orchestras from Singapore and America”. https://repjogja.republika.co.id/berita/r1y0in327/festivalkeroncong-tampilkan-orkes-dari-singapura-amerika (accessed February 23, 2022).
Setiawan, Afrizal, Y, Hasbary, D and Bulan, I. 2021. “Virtual Choir: Forms of Choir Presentation during the Covid-19 Pandemic” Proceedings of the Implementation of Merdeka Belajar during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Opportunities and Challenges, Dance Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, University of Lampung, Indonesia.
Widjajadi, R. Agus Sri. 2017. Rowing between Tradition and Modernity. Yogyakarta: Hanggar Kreator.
Source
Daniel Darmawan Putra, 30, chairman and initiator of Keroncong Biru, Kaliurang Timur, Hargobinangun, Pakem, Sleman, Yogyakarta.
Author: Tri Prasetyo
Instagram : prasetyopongkring
Email: prasetyopongkring@gmail.com
Cover : Instagram keroncongbiru
