Iwan Gunawan: Music as intercultural creativity
Read my interview with Iwan Gunawan. He is an Indonesian composer and teacher from Bandung. The composer represents his cultural identity by using various instruments and techniques that are widely used in his country or the region, citing gamelan as one of the most important elements in his work. Gunawan believes that music is a multicultural experience, therefore he doesn’t want to divide music that comes from either Western or Eastern part of the world, but rather educate the audience about the traditions in his region by using different media. In his compositions he uses contemporary structures, international instrumentation, and sometimes live electronics, engaging with a wide range of music made today from vernacular to hybrid experimental forms. His music has been performed in Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, the UK, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. The text version of interview was created by Armands Stefans Sargsuns.
How would you define a good musical composition?
It’s very hard to define what is good or bad, because I always try to look for a new, never-seen-before perspective. The definition of a good musical composition is very relative and it depends on the purpose. Creation of a piece has multiple layers — the music itself, the performance and the media, etc. There are times when the music component of a piece may not be so interesting, but the performance takes it up a notch.
Another aspect I appreciate when it comes to music is the connection between various elements within the composition as well as how they’re communicated to the audience. It’s really difficult to compare traditional music, popular music and contemporary music, so I can’t really give one set of criteria.
I have enjoyed many pieces that have been created by Alexander Schubert. The composer has an interesting approach where his music is very abstract, but it’s made with such confidence that combines many different multimedia and performative aspects which create a clear direction, but at the same time keeps one’s interest to learn more. When I collaborate with individual artists or a collective of artists I create the composition, but the execution of it can go both ways. One of them is that I give clear directions of what should be done for the performance, but there are times when I allow performers themselves to give their own spin. Communication with the audience is what really brings the piece together, so it’s important to be open-minded to various techniques and specific ideas that each artist represents and that’s the beauty of collaboration when you can really see a new perspective on music.
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What are the musical ideas that you like to explore most frequently?
I have studied and learned how to create music for gamelan which essentially is a set of percussions that are popular in some cultures of Indonesian people. It’s a part of the beginning of my musical journey and the set helps me create new ideas, so it’s not just an instrument, but it definitely has a spirit and an essence that it brings to a composition. Even if I don’t include it in a piece, you can always sense its presence in each one of my works in some way, shape or form. I have this strong connection to it, so it has become one of my musical signatures.
What inspired you to create multimedia compositions?
There were many different sources of inspiration, but I think I just started drawing parallels between various forms of expression, so that just sort of came naturally. For example, if I saw a dancer and I liked the way they moved, I would start connecting the dots and thinking of music that would complement the movements. Sometimes it happens the other way around. I believe that dance is an integral part of my compositions and the way that I express myself, because there’s a very strong relation between it and traditional instruments that I incorporate in my work. It gives a dimension and an interesting perspective to each piece and it’s a different lens to look at the world.
How does the process of composing change when you create pieces for different media?
The process of composing music stays exactly the same, but including different media may extend the creation of a piece and it requires a lot more thinking and experimenting on my behalf. If I write a sound-only composition, the main thing I will have to imagine is how the musician performs the piece. When I factor in a wider range of media, for example, dance, I need to consider more things — the interaction between the dancer and the music, etc. I’d have to say that a live performance setting gives me more boundaries, because I have to know the possibilities and limitations of the instruments and what the musicians can do live on the stage as well. But I feel very free when I can use different media, because it gives more opportunities to explore electronic sounds and the aspect of physicality becomes less of a challenge, because there are options to search for it elsewhere.
Do you consider yourself a part of Western music composers?
I don’t really take the categorisation of Western and Eastern music into account and I just do my own thing, so creating the division between music that comes from different parts of the world seems unnecessary for me. I would have to say that I belong to both sides, because some of my pieces include gamelan which is a set of Indonesian percussions, but it gathers a lot of inspiration from Western music and it works the other way around as well. The interaction is multi-cultural and it would take more research on my part to answer this question properly.
Would your music be different if you lived in another part of the world?
Perhaps, but I’m not entirely sure, because throughout the years I’ve realised that my music comes very naturally and from deep within. I’ve also come to the conclusion that composing is my destiny. There are musicians in the West that have explored gamelan music and they’ve actually told me that my work has been an inspiration to them. I was talking to a German composer, Dieter Mack and he, first of all, encouraged me to continue doing what I’m doing and grow my culture, especially gamelan music, but also I got a lot of insight on Western music and I’m not sure whether someone in Indonesia would be able to give me that knowledge. There are a lot of regional influences in my music, so maybe things would be different, but I do have some understanding of what’s happening elsewhere.
Would your music be different if you were a woman?
There are characteristics in music that may be influenced by the sex and gender identity of the composer. I believe that the biggest difference is the feeling and the implementation of it in the piece, so the form of expression may vary. Another thing I’ve noticed is that female composers have more of a radical approach and the articulation of emotions appears more strongly.
How has your music changed?
My journey has been very interesting, because I hadn’t had much exposure to Western music when I started composing, for example, Mozart and other notable composers in history. Then I began to explore more contemporary composers, such as Stockhausen and John Cage. It led me to making more complex musical scores and I realised that we shouldn’t disown traditional elements and classical music, but rather use it as inspiration nowadays. Throughout the years I’ve realised that music is about creating a balance, so I’ve changed my approach, being influenced by avant-garde music. I start off with something very simple and pure and I add more layers and complexity to the foundation of the composition later on. Adding more layers sometimes means working with complete opposites: simplicity and complexity, sound-only and multimedia music, etc.
Would you say that your music has an internal conversation between different cultures, domains, etc.?
My music definitely has some multicultural elements and themes, but also I see each piece as a way to master my craft. I listen to my previous works and I approach each one of them a bit critically to realise the direction I’d like my music to go in the future, so my work always changes. But I’d still like to keep the traditional influences in my work at least for the foreseeable future.
How has technology influenced your music?
There’s definitely an influence, but it comes at the expense of my mind, because of the accessibility of new technology in Indonesia. It’s very difficult to try out something new and even if I collect everything, it can take months to complete a composition, because I have to practise and change certain things if they don’t work, so it’s quite a complicated process. Once you get to know the newest technological advances, it, obviously, becomes very helpful, for example, with digital music notation programs and digital audio workstations. It’s much easier to explore ideas that occur during the process and reset everything in case it doesn’t feel right. Despite the difficulties in terms of accessibility, technology has become an important tool for composing, because it helps with saving time and improving efficiency as well.
What software do you use?
I had used Sibelius for an extended period of time as a notation software, but I have discovered Dorico that was created by Steinberg. I like that it’s one instrumental based sample, because it adds a layer of realism to the process of composing. My preference is to use acoustic instruments and sounds, rather than electronic, so I enjoy working with Dorico a lot more.
How involved are you in each part of creating a piece?
I’m pretty involved in all of the stages, because I have a good understanding of various technologies and techniques, therefore I can do a lot of things myself. Sometimes I create music that doesn’t really have a purpose, so essentially it’s just for the soul or I tend to compose pieces to show to my students and I use them as a teaching method. The compositions are not very complicated, but I like to showcase the technology I’ve used and also that it’s easy to create something in a very short period of time. My YouTube posts usually fall into both of those categories, because it’s a great way for me to practise and hone my skills and it’s also accessible to people in different parts of the world.
What is your process of composing like?
The starting point depends on the purpose and specifics of each piece. Usually I start with the choice of instruments and do some research to find out something new that I hadn’t known previously, for example, new techniques, ways of playing, etc. Then I start using technology to play around with the instruments I have chosen to create samples or look for any other musical ideas to explore. Because of the fact I use gamelan and other traditional instruments that are difficult to access, I’ve designed sounds that help me incorporate them in my music without using the physical instrument.
Then I move on to the demo stage to create the audio or I just print the notation that I give to the musician, so they can practise. In short terms it consists of: research stage, demo stage, recreation stages and then I put on some finishing touches to bring it all together.
What do you fear as a composer?
I always try to have a journey while composing, so I’m always trying to find a new approach or way to develop my music. Music allows me to express myself and try out many different things, so my fear is losing my creative freedom and not being able to compose.
Why do you still compose?
Well, I’m teaching my students, but also there’s a commision from time to time too. Even if there’s not a commision, I still like to create something whether it’s a sketch or I’m playing with different sounds to express what I’m feeling at the time. As I said, music is my destiny and this is one of the ways I can still live.
How has the landscape of contemporary art music changed?
Unfortunately I have to say that the changes are basically non-existent. Sure, there are some new composers that appear on the scene, yet the audience remains very small. It is there, but reaching a bigger audience is quite a challenge. We do have opportunities to become an academic and study at a university, having said that, there’s a lack of institutions and policies that would allow the contemporary art scene to grow. This is one of my biggest concerns, therefore I’m doing research to look for ways to introduce more people to it and acknowledge the existence of this genre in the public sphere.
How would you describe the work environment for composers in Indonesia?
As I said in the previous question, contemporary art music has an audience, although not very large. The main problem would be funding and that means there are basically no events for this style of music, ultimately leading to an environment where showcasing one’s music is very difficult. In Indonesia music is seen as a ceremony or a form of entertainment which doesn’t necessarily align with contemporary art music, therefore many composers work for commissions outside the country and that’s how you could determine if the composer is successful.
Having said that, it’s also a problem of distribution of the music, because the situation is worse in Bandung where I’m from. In other parts of the country, for example, Jakarta and Bali the scene is more prominent and there’s good activity in terms of having festivals and the audience is interested in attending them as well, so there is a community for the style of music. It’s very unbalanced, compared to what we see in Europe and in the US.
What is the audience for Indonesian contemporary art music?
It’s really hard to define the audience and people who would gravitate towards contemporary art music. But I do have to say that people are very open-minded and happy to indulge themselves in different musical journeys. There is a clear lack of education and exposure to this style of music, so I’m hopeful that the young generation of composers will find innovative ways to introduce more people to it.
What is the direction of new music in Indonesia?
Contemporary art music has a history in Indonesia and there are new composers emerging on the scene, so it will definitely continue to exist. Unfortunately the lack of policies and direction for cultural development impacts contemporary art music really negatively. The government doesn’t care, therefore there’s a correlation to low activity from the audience.
What is the role of new music in society?
I think it offers a new view, perception or expression of music to an audience. This style of music also lends itself well for music education, because there are many possibilities to explore and there are no limitations to it. I believe music is still important to society, so contemporary art music has an audience and it probably will in the future.
What advice would you give to the young generation of composers?
I’d encourage young composers to be creative, think outside the box and have no fear to explore different musical ideas. To my mind, it’s important to allow artists to feel free while they master their craft and freedom is especially needed at the beginning of the journey in music to find one’s sound that feels right to them. Creative freedom leads to finding identity and individuality as a composer, so they can take any piece and put a spin on it that gives a new and never-seen-before perspective to music which keeps it interesting and allows progression for the music field itself. I believe that contemporary art music shouldn’t be perceived as a genre, but rather as a philosophy or a way to create something to offer a new and unique experience to people and that’s what I say to my students as well. My goal is not to give a direction, but it’s more about giving motivation and inspiration as well as creating a safe space to make mistakes.
Watch the selection of music composed by Iwan Gunawan:
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