Erwin Gutawa
Encyclopedia
Erwin Gutawa is an Indonesia
n composer and father of Gita Gutawa
. In 1985, he started his professional music career by joining the jazz
band Karimata, later becoming an independent composer in 1991. As a composer, he won the 1992 Midnight Sun Song Festival in Finland
together with Ruth Sahanaya
. In 2001 he won the Anugerah Musik Indonesia
award for best music arranger for his concert Rockestra.
and association football; during this period he also played music on Bina Musika under the direction of Agus Rusli on Televisi Republik Indonesia. As a teen he continued playing music with his friends. After graduating high school, Gutawa earned a bachelor's degree
in architecture from the University of Indonesia
.
In the early 1980s Gutawa worked as sound arranger for the TVRI series Telerama. However, his professional career began in the 1985 when he joined the jazz band Karimata as a bassist
, playing along with Candra Darusman, Aminoto Kosin, Denny T.R. and Uce Hariono. Together with Karimata, he performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival
in The Hague
that same year.
During that period, he also worked as an arranger
and producer
for other singers. After Karimata disbanded in 1991, Gutawa formed his own orchestra
and worked as a composer. Besides composing, Gutawa also organized concerts for other artists.
On 3 November 2000, Gutawa presented Rockestra, a rock
concert featuring Slank
, Gigi
, and Dewa. Involving an orchestra of 85 musicians, the concert was held at the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention Center
. Guest musicians included Ahmad Albar, Roni Harahap, Jockie Soerjoprajogo, and Nicky Astria.
On 16 May 2002, Gutawa celebrated his 40th birthday by holding his first solo concert, Konser EG. It took place at the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention Center and also featured Chrisye
, Ruth Sahanaya
, Krisdayanti
, Sheila on Seven, and Slank. Since then, he has held numerous concerts, including the Islam
ic-themed The Spirit of Ramadhan (2008) and a farewell concert for his daughter Gita Gutawa
entitled A Masterpiece of Erwin Gutawa (2011).
In 2005, Gutawa went to London
, England
to work as a conductor at the London Symphony Orchestra
in Royal Albert Hall
.
In 2010, Gutawa was selected to be one of the judges for Indonesian Idol
's sixth season
.
and Aura Aria Gutawa. He enjoys cycling
and home cooking, especially Indonesian food.
award for best music arranger for his album Rockestra.
Gutawa has been described as having "a Midas
touch" for music, with a sharp intuition.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n composer and father of Gita Gutawa
Gita Gutawa
Aluna Sagita Gutawa , better known as Gita Gutawa, is an Indonesian soprano, actress, and songwriter; she is also the daughter of noted composer Erwin Gutawa....
. In 1985, he started his professional music career by joining the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
band Karimata, later becoming an independent composer in 1991. As a composer, he won the 1992 Midnight Sun Song Festival in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
together with Ruth Sahanaya
Ruth Sahanaya
Ruth Sahanaya is an Indonesian singer. She rose to fame in the late 1980s and is perhaps best known for her hit song "Kaulah Segalanya". She has toured internationally, been the Indonesian representative at many music festivals, and has received multiple awards...
. In 2001 he won the Anugerah Musik Indonesia
Anugerah Musik Indonesia
Anugerah Musik Indonesia , also known as AMI or colloquially AMI Awards is an annual Indonesian major music awards...
award for best music arranger for his concert Rockestra.
Biography
Erwin Gutawa was born in Jakarta on 16 May 1962. As a child, he enjoyed playing basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and association football; during this period he also played music on Bina Musika under the direction of Agus Rusli on Televisi Republik Indonesia. As a teen he continued playing music with his friends. After graduating high school, Gutawa earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in architecture from the University of Indonesia
University of Indonesia
The Universitas Indonesia, is a state, comprehensive world class university located in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia...
.
In the early 1980s Gutawa worked as sound arranger for the TVRI series Telerama. However, his professional career began in the 1985 when he joined the jazz band Karimata as a bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, playing along with Candra Darusman, Aminoto Kosin, Denny T.R. and Uce Hariono. Together with Karimata, he performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival
North Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
that same year.
During that period, he also worked as an arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for other singers. After Karimata disbanded in 1991, Gutawa formed his own orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and worked as a composer. Besides composing, Gutawa also organized concerts for other artists.
On 3 November 2000, Gutawa presented Rockestra, a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
concert featuring Slank
Slank
Slank is an Indonesian rock band. It was founded in 1983 by some teenagers in a small street in Jakarta called Gang Potlot. They had played rock music everywhere until they got an opportunity to make an album.-Early years:...
, Gigi
Gigi (band)
Gigi itself is named after the laugh members of the group had after the name "Orang Utan" nearly was decided as the name of the band.-History:Aria Baron, Thomas Ramadan, Ronald Sristisnto, Dewa Budjana and Armand Maulana...
, and Dewa. Involving an orchestra of 85 musicians, the concert was held at the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention Center
Jakarta Convention Center
The Jakarta Convention Center also known as Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention Center is located in Bung Karno Sport Complex, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. It has a plenary hall that has 5,000 seats, JCC also has an assembly hall with an area of 3,921 m². JCC has 13 various sized meeting rooms...
. Guest musicians included Ahmad Albar, Roni Harahap, Jockie Soerjoprajogo, and Nicky Astria.
On 16 May 2002, Gutawa celebrated his 40th birthday by holding his first solo concert, Konser EG. It took place at the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention Center and also featured Chrisye
Chrisye
Chrismansyah Rahadi , better known by his stage name Chrisye , was an Indonesian progressive-pop singer and song writer of mixed Chinese-Indonesian descent. He was born in Jakarta on 16 September 1949, and died there on 30 March 2007 following a long battle with lung cancer. He recorded 21 solo...
, Ruth Sahanaya
Ruth Sahanaya
Ruth Sahanaya is an Indonesian singer. She rose to fame in the late 1980s and is perhaps best known for her hit song "Kaulah Segalanya". She has toured internationally, been the Indonesian representative at many music festivals, and has received multiple awards...
, Krisdayanti
Krisdayanti
-External links:*...
, Sheila on Seven, and Slank. Since then, he has held numerous concerts, including the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic-themed The Spirit of Ramadhan (2008) and a farewell concert for his daughter Gita Gutawa
Gita Gutawa
Aluna Sagita Gutawa , better known as Gita Gutawa, is an Indonesian soprano, actress, and songwriter; she is also the daughter of noted composer Erwin Gutawa....
entitled A Masterpiece of Erwin Gutawa (2011).
In 2005, Gutawa went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to work as a conductor at the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
in Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
.
In 2010, Gutawa was selected to be one of the judges for Indonesian Idol
Indonesian Idol
Indonesian Idol is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia Asia, which began airing on RCTI on March 2004. Part of the Idol franchise, it was as a spin-off from the UK show Pop Idol...
's sixth season
Indonesian Idol (Season 6)
Indonesian Idol Season Six is a continuation of the Indonesian Idol show in the year 2010. Indonesian Idol came back after a suspension in the year 2009. What is different in this season is the judge of this event is no longer Titi DJ and Indra, who was replaced by Erwin Gutawa and Agnes Monica...
.
Personal life
Gutawa is married to Lufti Adriani, also known as Lulu. Together, they have two children, Aluna SagitaGita Gutawa
Aluna Sagita Gutawa , better known as Gita Gutawa, is an Indonesian soprano, actress, and songwriter; she is also the daughter of noted composer Erwin Gutawa....
and Aura Aria Gutawa. He enjoys cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and home cooking, especially Indonesian food.
Legacy
In 1992, Erwin Gutawa and Ruth Sayana's song "Kaulah Segalanya" ("You are Everything") won the 5th Midnight Sun Song Festival in Finland. In 2001 he won the Anugerah Musik IndonesiaAnugerah Musik Indonesia
Anugerah Musik Indonesia , also known as AMI or colloquially AMI Awards is an annual Indonesian major music awards...
award for best music arranger for his album Rockestra.
Gutawa has been described as having "a Midas
Midas
For the legend of Gordias, a person who was taken by the people and made King, in obedience to the command of the oracle, see Gordias.Midas or King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold. This was called the Golden touch, or the...
touch" for music, with a sharp intuition.
Partial discography
(As arranger)- Kala Cinta MenggodaKala Cinta MenggodaKala Cinta Menggoda is a 1997 album by Indonesian singer Chrisye, with arrangement by Erwin Gutawa. It was released by Musica Studios. It received numerous awards, including two Anugerah Musik Indonesia Awards, in 1998; the music video for the title song "Kala Cinta Menggoda" won the Asia Viewer's...
(1997, for Chrisye) - Badai Pasti Berlalu (1999, for Chrisye)
- Konser Tur 2001Konser Tur 2001Konser Tur 2001 is an Indonesian album by Chrisye released in 2001 by Musica Studios. It is Chrisye's eighteenth studio album. Although the album is titled Konser Tur 2001, it was not recorded live; the title "Konser Tur" was chosen to coincide with Chrisye's tour in 2001. It included two new...
(2001, for Chrisye) - DekadeDekadeDekade is a 2004 Indonesian pop album published by Musica Studios and Chrisye's nineteenth studio album. It is also his only cover album.-Creation:The idea for Dekade came when Chrisye thought about previously popular songs that were later forgotten...
(2002, for Chrisye) - SenyawaSenyawaSenyawa is an Indonesian album released by Musica Studios in 2004. It was Chrisye's last studio album and a collaboration with numerous Indonesian singers and bands, including Project Pop, Peterpan, Ahmad Dhani, and Ungu.-Creation:...
(2004, for Chrisye) - Salute to Koes Plus/Bersaudara (2004)
- Rockestra (2007)
- Balada ShalawatBalada Shalawat-Styles:"Ketika Tangan dan Kaki Berkata" is accompanied by orchestral music that, together with Gita's soprano voice, "emphasizes [its] depth of meaning". "Balada Shalawat" is accompanied by more classical music.-Release and Reception:...
(2010, for Gita Gutawa)