After joining as London Symphony Orchestra Soundhub associate composer, I took part in Benjamin Britten’s Friday afternoons concert this coming 22nd of November 2013. Together with some other Soundhub composers, we arranged Britten’s Friday Afternoons songs for four London Symphony Orchestra players to accompany children choir and original piano accompaniment.

The quartet line-up is Clarinet, Trumpet, Percussions (Marimba, etc.), and Cello. Quite a unique combo. I decided to employ Marimba in both pieces I arranged. I chose to arrrange “Cuckoo” and “The Useful Plough” as both pieces really hooked me the first time I listened to them. The set of songs were very interesting and shows how a great composer Britten is. He managed to keep it simple and easy for children to follow, yet keeps it fascinating.

This is my second time to arrange “under the shadow” of Benjamin Britten, having been in the UK at Britten’s centenary celebration this year. My first time was recomposing Henry Purcell’s Rondeau from Abdelazer Suite that brought me to victory on Baroque Remixed national composition competition, on which Britten himself had done his own unmistakable and very influential version in the Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.

These have made me learn and admire Britten’s craftmanship in composing. I am very glad that I had these chances before going back to Indonesia.

I am very looking forward to the concert day and listen to the whole exciting Friday Afternoons and the fresh arrangements by other Soundhub composers.

For more information about the concert, please refer to this link:
http://lso.co.uk/145/Brittens-Friday-Afternoons/866#-Overview

If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulder of giants
-Isaac Newton