Indonesian National Orchestra

The Indonesian National Orchestra (INO) is a group of indigenous musicians assembled by ethnomusicologist Franky Raden.

Its original presentation was one of the most memorable performances at Usada Bali, and we are thrilled to announce its return to our Usada Forum lunch theater.

Indonesia can boast the world's first traditional music orchestra. While modern orchestras have existed in the Western world for centuries, in the East emerged an orchestra of traditional music, representing various regions of Indonesia. This unique collective is known as the Indonesian National Orchestra (INO).

"If the challenge of this traditional music orchestra is successful, we will become the first country in the world to have a national orchestra distinct from the Western-influenced orchestras that have prevailed until now," said INO founder Franky Raden during a rehearsal at the Sapta Pesona building of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Jakarta on May 4, 2010.

The diversity and variety of Indonesian music give it great aesthetic depth and richness of expression, enabling it to remain constantly evolving and consistently innovative. "This aesthetic language wealth is the birth source of INO, which is ready to compete on the international scene with well-known orchestras from all over the world," said Franky, who is a renowned ethnomusicologist and composer.

Franky Raden, who holds a doctorate, draws on this abundance of resources to continue his uncompromising work as a contemporary composer.

Franky Raden, who holds a doctorate, utilizes all these rich resources for his uncompromising work as a contemporary composer, musical critic, ethnomusicologist, and essayist. He will present elements of his life journey in sound and images, drawing on his spiritual and musical encounters with the Dayaks of Kalimantan, the Torajans of Sulawesi, the Bataks of Sumatra, as well as internationally renowned gamelan orchestras in Java and Bali. He also travels to North America and explores the ways in which gamelan has influenced Western music.

Franky Raden was born in Jakarta in 1953 and has built a career on his natural curiosity, creating interdisciplinary works with ritual power. His works are more than just compositions; they are musical events.