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Samosir – A musical orchestra group called Vinculos, consisting of around 50 members from Madrid, Spain, will visit Lake Toba from July 27 to August 2, 2017.
This marks the first leg of Vinculos’ tour in Indonesia, before continuing on to the capital city Jakarta and the Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu). It will also be their first visit to Asia, carrying a mission of cultural, social, and educational exchange.
Vinculos is an initiative by the Siero Chamber Orchestra (OCAS) of Spain that promotes social and cultural integration through music. The group has performed in 12 countries, delivering over 300 concerts, distributing more than 150 musical instruments, and organizing approximately 100 workshops and master classes.
Supported by the Directorate General of Culture of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia, the activities will take place across three regencies:
Balige and Laguboti in Toba Samosir (Tobasa),
Bakkara Village in Humbang Hasundutan (Humbahas),
and Sianjur Mula-Mula, Lumban Suhi-Suhi, and Sigulati in Samosir Regency.
The locations were carefully selected by the Directorate General of Culture to highlight the Toba Caldera Geopark under the theme “Super Volcano“, which has become an iconic identity of the Lake Toba area. The aim is to add cultural and educational value to the musical journey of Vinculos in the Batak homeland.
In addition to showcasing orchestral works, Vinculos will also collaborate with the Batak Toba traditional ensemble Mataniari, founded by Rithaony Hutajulu and Irwansyah Harahap, both faculty members in the Department of Ethnomusicology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of North Sumatra (USU).
This collaboration will feature arranged compositions of Batak gondang music and Batak opera songs, blended into orchestral formats. Mataniari, composed of seasoned Batak Toba musicians, includes notable names such as “The King of Sulim” Marsius Sitohang, a Batak music maestro and recipient of the 2013 Cultural Award from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Other art groups participating include the Dolok Sipiak dance troupe, the Gitanos music group from Parapat, and a visual installation art collective from Unimed (Medan State University). Their collaboration will be presented in an open-air performance at Sigulati, Samosir.
Vinculos also has a social program agenda, including a visit to Ephata School in Laguboti, which serves children with special needs. Additionally, music workshops for elementary and middle school students will be held in Bakkara Village, Humbahas and at a learning center in Sianjur Mula-Mula, Samosir.
A visit to Lumban Suhi-Suhi Village in Samosir is also planned, where the Vinculos team will engage directly with traditional Batak ulos weavers and the surrounding community.
Dr. Hilmar Farid, Director General of Culture, stated that this event is not only a means of cultural diplomacy and exchange between Indonesia and Spain, but also a platform to promote tourism potential, particularly in Lake Toba, which has been designated by President Joko Widodo as one of the ten priority destinations for national tourism development.
“The involvement of local and provincial governments in supporting this initiative reflects a strong, positive effort — from planning to execution,” he said in an official statement.
“‘Unidad en la diversidad’ (Unity in Diversity) is the theme of Vinculos’ cultural and musical tour in Indonesia this year. We hope this activity will bring fresh energy and act as a catalyst for the advancement of tourism in the Lake Toba region in the future,” he added.
Editor: Wen
Source: Tribun News
Category: General, Gonews Group, Samosir, North Sumatra