Choir Audition Opens in Kukar to Preserve Regional Music

RRI.CO.ID, Tenggarong - The Kutai Kartanegara (Kukar) Regency Administration in East Kalimantan is using a large‑scale choir audition to revive regional songs and develop young talent. Officials are framing the initiative as a dual effort for both cultural preservation and youth empowerment.

Gita Kumala Nusantara Symphony Orchestra Choir Audition 2026 offers students a platform to perform traditional tunes, often sung solo or in small groups, and to build skills in ensemble singing. More than 200 participants, mainly high‑school students and equivalents from across Kutai Kartanegara, took part when the auditions opened Monday, June 8, 2026, at Pendopo Odah Etam in Tenggarong.

“Through the audition we create a strategic medium to shape a generation that is not only academically excellent but also aesthetically sensitive, disciplined, collaborative, and proud of regional cultural identity,” said Assistant I at the Kutai Kartanegara Regency Secretariat, Akhmad Taufik Hidayat, in Tenggarong on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

Winners of the audition will receive advanced coaching from professional trainers and opportunities to perform a wide repertoire, ranging from regional folk songs and patriotic anthems to national and international pieces. This comprehensive training will give young artists a pathway to further their careers while promoting local culture.

The regency administration said the program aligns with its Kukar Idaman Terbaik Vision (Kutai Kartanegara Best Ideal Vision) and complements other cultural and creative initiatives such as the Seniman dan Budayawan Kutai Kartanegara Berkarya (Kutai Kartanegara Artists and Cultural Practitioners Create) program, the Creative Economy Kukar Terbaik (Finest Kukar Creative Economy) program, the Education Idaman Terbaik (Finest Ideal Education) program and Kukar scholarship schemes.

Officials urged participants to view the audition as a learning space for collaboration and personal development. The ultimate goal is to produce accomplished artists who can serve as adaptable, competitive cultural ambassadors.

Chairperson of Gita Kumala Nusantara Kukar, Markus Wijaya, noted the organization’s steady contribution to local cultural life, including regular aubade performances at Kutai Kartanegara’s Independence Day ceremonies on August 17.

“Gita Kumala Nusantara is not only a place to develop musical and choral talent among young people but also plays a role in preserving regional culture, especially through local songs,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

Most members of Gita Kumala Nusantara are students from Kukar. Beyond gathering youth in positive artistic activity, the group aims to safeguard regional traditions through the songs it presents.

Markus added that nurturing young artistic talent requires support from administration, educational institutions, and the community, and that the choir can serve as a vehicle for character building and creativity that steers youth away from negative influences. ***