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On Sunday at the Singapore ambassador’s residence in Kuningan, South Jakarta, a violin left outside on the patio caught the eye of visiting Singaporean luthier Tong Ming Xi.

“The first rule of violin maintenance,” the he said, addressing the group of young violinists sitting cross-legged around him. “Always keep your violins in a safe place.”

The violin craftsman had been invited to Jakarta to present a talk on care and maintenance of the instrument at the home of the Singaporean Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri and his wife, Gouri.

In the audience were budding musicians from Indonesia and Singapore, who had been invited to perform to welcome their guest.

The main event started at 10:30 a.m. outside the home, although guests were first greeted and introduced to each other in the lavishly decorated living area. A small performance space was set up on the outdoor patio, overlooking a lush garden and swimming pool. Some of the young guests were delighted by the appearance of the resident dog, Jessie, who nosed around comfortably through the crowd.

At midday Tong entertained and educated his audience, giving them step-by-step instructions on how to clean their violins after use. The luthier, who works out of a small shop called Ambercraft Violins back in his hometown, explained that he took up the business of violin repair because of his interest in the instrument, and because he wanted to do “something different.”

“Many of my friends and family were quite surprised when I decided to take up the profession,” Tong acknowledged. “They think that taking up a hobby as a living is something quite different from their perspective. But once they saw what I have made of myself, they did not say anything. My parents were very supportive, of course.”

The luthier’s work consists of carefully repairing cracks and faded polish on all sorts of violins.

“Luckily I have never had to repair a violin so damaged to the point that it needed reconstruction,” Tong said. “But my proudest work would have to be the time where I had the opportunity to repair a Guarneri [famed violin], which took me about a week to finish working on.”

Tong said he had picked up the violin at the age of 10 at his own initiative. “I had never even heard of violins before then,” he said. “I saw a cartoon character playing the instrument on television and thought ‘wow! I want to play that.’ ”

Among the audience at the performance and talk were members of the Taman Suropati Chamber Orchestra, who also had the opportunity to perform for the luthier. Gouri said the chamber orchestra played every Sunday morning at Suropati Park in Central Jakarta, and consisted of young musicians who may not be able to afford expensive music lessons or instruments.

“Currently the park has been undergoing major renovations,” she said. “Last week I saw the kids playing their instruments in the mud caused by all the upturned soil.” Gouri invited the chamber orchestra to the talk at the ambassador’s house because she wanted to offer them a change of scenery for their practice.

Like Tong, some members of the Suropati orchestra started classical training at a later age. Beginners were tutored by the orchestra’s founder, Ages Dwiharso, who was described by the ambassador’s wife as an “inspirational socialist.”

“I admire Ages very much,” Gouri said. “He has been doing this for quite a while now and the amount of time and effort he puts into the children’s learning is amazing.”

Tong is a man who understands that starting classical training later in life can be a challenge. “Perseverance is the key,” Tong said. “You must never give up if you want to achieve your dreams.”

The Mirpuris had organized the event to give the performing children the opportunity to be inspired by one another. They hope the children will heed Tong’s teachings, and learn from one another’s perseverance.

“I hope that the Suropati children will be inspired by the Singaporean musicians, and vice-versa,” Gouri said. “This is certainly a time to communicate with the international language of music.”


Taman Suropati Chamber

Founded by Agustinus Dwiharso, also known as Bapak (father) Ages, the Taman Suropati Chamber was established with the goal of preserving traditional Indonesian folk music, and to provide young children with an alternative to wandering aimlessly around Jakarta’s many malls.

The orchestra is made up of children ranging in age from 5 to university age. Ages believes that by providing space and materials, children will be able to work on a meaningful hobby that will also enrich them culturally.

“Although it is good to teach children the classical method, I am afraid that Indonesian children have forgotten traditional Indonesian folk music or have never heard any before,” he said. “I created the Suropati Chamber Orchestra to remind these children of our culture.”

Ages explained that the idea came to him in 2006, during a visit to Europe. “I’ve noticed that all around the world, cultures often still include the essence of traditional sounds into their modern music,” he said. “For example, Irish pop music often has a distinct sound, because they incorporate the different traditional methods and instruments used in their folk songs into the music.”

He is classically trained in piano, violin and cello, but can also play gamelan — a traditional Indonesian musical instrument.

The founder of the Suropati Chamber has four of his own children who participate in the the performances and lessons every Sunday morning. Currently, he counts more than 140 members including teachers and students.

Learn how to play the violin

Suropati Park every Sunday
Jl. Imam Bonjol, Menteng
Children: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Teenagers and adults: from 1 p.m.
Fee: Rp 100,000 per month

Tips to Ensure the Sweet Sounds Continue

Tong Ming Xi advises on how to take care of your violin, in order to preserve the instrument and prevent early damage.

• After using your violin, always clean it with a cloth. A good microfiber cloth, such as those used to clean optical lenses, is excellent for maintaining the appearance of your instrument.
• Do not clean your violin with a wet or damp cloth.
•Start by cleaning the areas of your violin that have constant contact with the skin, such as the chin rest and the handle. Oils from the skin, sebum, can damage the quality of an instrument’s polish over time.
•The bow must also be cleaned to prevent build up of old resin. Loosen the bow first before wiping it down with a cloth. Be sure to tighten the bow again once you are finished.
•To prevent early damage to your instrument, be sure to check its bridge now and again to make sure that it is straight. You can do this by regularly aligning it gently with your thumbs after playing.
•Temperature and climate are also a factor. Your violin does not like change. If it is used to being in an indoor, air-conditioned environment, ensure that it does not get too much outdoor exposure.
•The best way to preserve the beauty of your instrument is to keep it in its case when it is not in use.