EXULTATE CHOIR

Monday, 28 September 2009

I have not been active for a few months... not because of lack of ideas to write, but because of so many jobs to do in my office and business. Since June 2009 Exultate has done a lot of things, trying to be active to take part in liturgical activities here and there. Here I write about some events and people that deserve being remembered.

One

Some members have decided not to be active again in Exultate Choir. I can write some names here: Br. Efan BM moved to Desa Putera; Mbak Herin joined her husband to live abroad; Mbak Nat has not been active as she is busily looking after her daughter; Mbak Wiwid has been active in KKMK; Mas Tingtung comes here and then as he is busy with his business; Pak Rudi Gani and Ibu Rudi Gani are active in Sukasari Paris; and Raymund has never said anything about his departure, and Mbak Andang who has decided to leave everyone to have her new life ...

Two

Mbak Rina has given a new touch to Exultate so that Exultate can now sing some rather difficult songs such as "Behold the Lamb of God" (GF Handel), The Majesty And Glory Of His Name, and others. With more difficult songs and challenges, Exultate will be better. I hope Mbak Rina, despite her busy activities, will continue to support Exultate.

Three

Exultate has so far been active at BMV Parish Choir. Mas Gago and Pak Simon join the bass; Mbak Ika, Maxi, Bu Cisca, Bu Husodo, Mbak Ambar join the Sopranos; Thomas joins the Tenors; Bu Heri, Mbak Lia, Bu Evie and Bu Sianturi join the Altos... Unfortunately some members decided not to be active in BMV Choir because they are too busy to do it.

Four

Mbak Mira from Ciomas joins Exultate. She is an organist, just like Sheila. However she cannot be so active yet as she often has to help some other choirs to serve in churches. Her presence in Exultate can be good for our choir as Sheila will not be alone...

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HISTORY OF EXULTATE CHOIR

The idea of establishing Exultate Choir came from two church music activists: the late Mrs. A.K. Radjino and Mrs. Maria Djafar. In August 1994 they formed Exultate. At first the idea was making a singing group or vocal group for the family. They used the choir as a medium for meeting, sharing, gathering relatives and families. Later some people outside the family joined Exultate. After several months, Exultate was recognized as one of choirs in the Cathedral that could serve in liturgical ceremonies such as the Eucharist and other sacrament services.

EXULTATE'S ACTIVITIES

1. Regular practices: Since 1996 Exultate has practiced regularly, which is on Saturdays at 19.00-21.00 at the Cathedral. Since July 2008 the practice is conducted every Saturday at 18.30-20.00.

2. Singing at church: Every month Seksi Liturgi Paroki Katedral asks Exultate to serve in church services according to the schedule. So far Exultate has tried to do its best. Sometimes Exultate sings more than once in one month. Even during Christmas weeks or Holy Weeks, Exultate sometimes sings three or four times at the Cathedral. Besides, Exultate also sings in other churches such as St Fransiskus Sukasari, which puts Exultate on their schedule every other months and at St. Yakobus Rasul Church in Megamendung.

3. Anniversary: Exultate celebrates its anniversary on 15 August.

4. Christmas and Easter celebrations: On these days Exultate usually organises gatherings. We usually use Ibu Wanty's house in Jalan Merak Bogor to get together.

5. Visiting its members : Exultate is a big family whose members want to pay attention to and help others. If there is a member who suffers from diseases, other members will feel the pain... so we visit the sick members or the members who need our help.

6. Ambulare : Ambulare means "to walk". We go out together (to Puncak, Lembang, Megamendung, Rancamaya, etc.)

COMMITMENTS

EXULTATE MEMBERS 2012

CHAIRPERSON:
Simon Supratman (Pak Simon)

VICE-CHAIRPERSON:
Albertus Magnus Suryatmanto (Tingtung)

CONDUCTORS / CHOIR MASTERS:
Thomas A. Sutadi (Thomas)
Chatarina Yuli Indrayati (Rina)
Josep S. Bintoro

Thomas Hargono

ORGANIST :
Marsella Sheila Gunawan (Sheila)

SOPRANO:

Maria Gracia Maxi (Maxi)
Fransisca Elias, drg. (dr Cisca)
Laurentia Wanty Th. (Wanty)
Bernadette Widya (Widya)
Trisnawati M.T. (Tris)
Margaretha Sinclair Julianti (Yanti)
Yustina Sulastuti (Bu Ludo)
Cicilia E. Atmintarsih (Sisil)
Natalia W. (Nat)

ALTO
Yosephina Sri Andewi (Bu Husodo)
Florentina Evelina Sinaulan (Evie)
Antonia Lia Yunita (Lia)
Tri Nugrahaningsih (Bu Heri)
Yustina Sianturi (Bu Sianturi)
Dominika Ariana Ambarwati (Ambar)
Yosepha Respati (Eva)

TENOR
Josep Susilo Bintoro (Josep)
Ludovicus Hanjam (Ludo)
Suyitno
Raymundus Genty Laras (Raymund)

BASS
Simon Supratman (Simon)
Thomas Hargono Soewondo (Gago)
Nicholaus J. Thai Gogi (Nicho)
Parnamian Johanes (Mian)
Handoko

GREAT PEOPLE & CONTRIBUTORS

1. Ibu A.K. Radjino : She was the co-founder of Exultate. With the support from Bapak Dr. Radjino, she dedicated most of her rest of her life for Exultate. I do not know much about her as I joined Exultate about a year after her demise. But I still remember when she organized a choir festival at Regina Pacis Hall in 1997. The festival was called Festival Lagu-lagu Perjuangan. I was the new conductor of St. Andreas Bogor Barat Choir at that time. I also joined a seminar that Ibu Radjino organized, in which Mr Petrus Purba was invited. Ibu A.K. Radjino passed away in peace because of brain tumor in 1997. In heaven, I believe, she always prays for Exultate that she has ever established and taken care of.

2. Ibu Maria Djafar : Together with Ibu Radjino, Ibu Maria Djafar was an ardent founder of Exultate. She was the organist. I lost her when she decided to quit from Exultate in 2003. She is an expert of ethnical music arrangement. She can not sing but her music taste is very strong. She has got abundant ideas about liturgical and ethnic music. I learned a lot from her.

3. Bapak Agustinus Untoro Wisnu: After Ibu Radjino’s demise, Bapak Untoro took over her position as the trainer and chairman of Exultate. Bapak Untoro tried his best for Exultate. His brilliant ideas sometimes jump beyond everybody’s thought. His mobile job and his intention to be more active in his neighbourhood forced him to leave Exultate.

4. Bapak Josep Susilo Bintoro : He is still active at Exultate. He learned music mostly when he was in the Seminari Menengah Mertoyudan in Magelang-Central Java. He later improved his musical knowledge and skills when he studied at Sanatha Dharma University in Yogyakarta. He continued what Bapak Untoro had started. He is still active in Exultate now and he also leads and trains SMP Budi Mulia Student Choir.

5. Bapak Ignatius Yosep Soewondo: I cried when he told me that he wanted to move to Ganjuran-Yogyakarta in December 2007. He has done great things to me since I met him in St. Andreas Bogor Barat Choir. It was Pak Wondo and Ibu Wondo who first motivated me to join Exultate. When I started to take over Pak Josep Susilo Bintoro as conductor, Pak Wondo often came to my dormitory to discuss many things about choir and many things. He gave me support; he encouraged me to be brave as a conductor; he helped me to select the right songs for church masses. He himself is an artist… he is a sculptor. He loves singing… especially church songs and Javanese songs. He now lives in Ganjuran with Ibu Wondo. He is happy there because he is among a lot of people that he knows best. I always miss them and I always pray for them.

QUI BENE CANTAT BIS ORAT

"Qui bene cantat bis orat" means "the one who sings well prays twice". If you want to pray more seriously, you must sing, but sing the songs well. If you sing badly, you even will not pray... you will make your "words of prayers" useless. Since "singing well" means "praying twice", you must always try to sing well. How to sing well when our voice cannot produce good melody? Hmmm... "singing well" actually means "singing with your heart... singing with your soul". When we sing with our whole heart, Heaven will be decorated with beautiful flowers of joy... and God smiles at us. So, let's sing well... with our sincere heart. Ad maiorem Dei gloriam.