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| Gita Surya from Muhammadiyah University of Malang (UMM) Shines at Choir Festival (FESPA) 2024 (Photo: Special) |
Consistent excellence defines the spirit of the crimson-clad, white-campus Muhammadiyah University of Malang (UMM). This time, good news comes from the Student Activity Unit (UKM) Gita Surya at UMM, which has clinched a Gold Medal in the Folksong category and a Silver Medal in the Mixed Choir Song category. These victories were achieved at the national-level Choir Festival (FESPA), held in Surabaya from May 28 to early June.
Regarding this achievement, the Chairperson of Gita Surya, Nurul Naima Lesy, explained that they had been preparing for FESPA since December 2023. Gita Surya intentionally sent 37 delegates, all of whom were freshmen. They were trained extensively to deliver captivating performances. Selection processes were conducted for freshmen interested in representing UMM at FESPA, particularly since the songs performed required intricate techniques.
"Under the guidance of Annas Dwi Satriyo, our music director, the selected freshmen adapted well to the music. Moreover, UMM fully supported every stage of our preparation," she stated.
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Ona, as she is often called, continued that since December, delegates have been encouraged to maintain their vocal health by practicing vocal exercises nightly, among other techniques. Vocalizing exercises were essential to achieve precise intonation, from the lowest to the highest notes. Additionally, some songs required imitating sounds like kittens, so rehearsals often involved mimicking cat sounds until they matched the song lyrics.
"We performed eight songs in this competition, including three folk songs: Karben Sape, Piso Suprit, and Kruhay. We also presented three mixed songs: Locus Iste, Zikr, and Hentakan Jiwa," she added.
During the competition, the Gita Surya UMM team had a ten-minute stage rehearsal to adjust to the venue, whether it was a dry (non-reverberant) or wet (reverberant) stage. They also had the rare opportunity of a coral clinic session directly guided by one of the judges.
"Not every team had the chance for a coral clinic with a judge. Thanks to our good relationship with the music director, we seized this golden opportunity and received direct feedback from the judge," she remarked.
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On the other hand, Annas, the music director who accompanied them throughout, expressed immense pride in his students' achievements. Despite being relatively new to the field of vocal arts, they managed to outperform delegates from other universities, some of whom had international experience.
"Although we've achieved numerous accolades, I remain unsatisfied and will continue to guide Gita Surya UMM until we become the best. We must always thirst for knowledge in any field," he emphasized. (ri/wil/fajr)
