PSM UI Paragita Choir

Paduan Suara Mahasiswa Universitas Indonesia Paragita (PSM UI Paragita) is a student choir founded on August 29, 1983, by the late Drs. Max Rukmarta and Lilis Sugiarto, as well as A.G. Sudibyo, who still is the choir’s supervisor to this day. The name Paragita was given by the rector of Universitas Indonesia at the time, Prof. Dr. Nugroho Notosusanto, with the meaning being a grand and magnificent voice.

In its development, Paragita has received guidance from many instructors such as Liliek Sugiarto (deceased), E.L. Pohan (deceased), Annette Frambach, Dwi Antono Saputro, Untung P. Siahaan, Aning Katamsi, Aida Sweson, Ronald Pohan, Sukanty Sidartha, Irzam Rajasa (deceased), and Ramona Unsulangi. Today PSM UI Paragita is trained by a team of instructors led by Aning Katamsi and consisting of Adji Kasyono, Agus Yuwono, and Kristian Wirjadi, all of which are alumni of Universitas Indonesia.

PSM UI Paragita consistently holds choral concerts as a form of expression and appreciation for the music of Indonesia. Every year Paragita holds at least two concerts: the new members’ concert and the annual concert. In addition to holding annual concerts, Paragita has also worked with musicians, other choirs, and orchestras. Some recent collaborators of Paragita include:

Ananda Sukarlan (in his Ananda Sukarlan Concert), Schola Canorum Choir of Oxford University, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Twilite Orchestra “A Winter to Remember”, Indonesia-Japan Concert, Cisya Kencana Orchestra, Erwin Gutawa Orchestra, Magenta Orchestra, Rundfunkchor Berlin, The Radcliffe Choral Society of Harvard University.

PSM UI Paragita also participates in various competitions to assess its own quality and capability in both national and international events.

Some national achievements of PSM UI Paragita are the following :

• (2003) Parahyangan University Choir Competition, Bandung – 1st prize for both Mixed Choir and Musica Sacra categories
• (2005) Parahyangan University Choir Competition, Bandung – 2nd prize for both Musica Sacra and Musica Profana categories
• (2008) Ismail Marzuki’s Songs, Jakarta – 2nd prize of Choir Competition for general and college categories (2008) ITB Choir Festival XXI, Bandung – Gold medals / 3rd prize  for both – Mixed Chamber and Female Choir categories

• (2008) Indonesian Student Choir Festival (ISCF) of ABFI Institute Perbanas, Jakarta – 2nd Prize

• (2009) National Universities Choir Competition at ITB, Bandung – 2nd Prize
• (2010) Festival Paduan Suara ITB/ITB Choral Festival – 1st Place
• (2012) 25th Bartók Béla Nemzetkozy Korusverseny (Béla Bartók International Choir Competition and Folklore Festival) in Debrecen, Hungary – 4th place in the mixed choir category, Special Prize for Outstanding Interpretation award for the song Agnus Dei by Peter Tóth
• (2013) 1st Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival in Manila, the Philippines – 2nd place in the mixed choir category
• (2014) 62th“Guido d’Arezzo” International Polyphonic Competition in Arezzo, Italy – 2nd place in the mixed choir category and 3rd place in the ensemble choir category
• (2017) 35th Festival Internacional de Musica de Cantonigros, Catalonia, Spain –2nd place in the Mixed Choir category and 3rd place in the Folksong category
• (2018) Pesparawi Mahasiswa Nasional XV Manokwari, Papua – 2nd prize for Musica Sacra Category and Gold Medal for Gospel & Spiritual Category

Agus Yuwono, conductor – Category: Folklore

 Agus Yuwono was an active member of PSM UI Paragita from 1995 to 2000. Agus first learned to sing at Yayasan Pendidikan Musik (YPM) Jakarta, under the guidance of Binu D. Sukaman and Aning Katamsi Asmoro. He pursued further vocal training at Musicasa Studio under the instruction of Joseph Kristanto Pantioso and studied conducting with Budi Utomo Prabowo. Since becoming the instructor of PSM UI Paragita, Agus has earned many achievements with the choir.

Besides taking part in PSM UI Paragita, Agus has had experience in joining choirs such as Twilite Chorus and Batavia Madrigal Singers. During his time as a member of both choirs, Agus has taken part in concerts and competitions both nationally and internationally in countries such as Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Japan, Taiwan, Macau, China, the Philippines and Spain.

Agus has served as an instructor at the Mercu Buana Student Choir (PSM Mercu Buana) from January 2010 to July 2019. Currently, besides being the instructor of PSM UI Paragita, Agus is also coaching several student choirs such as the Trisakti School of Management student choir Trischmavoca, the choir of the Secretary of State, and the student choir of SMA Negeri 1 Jakarta SUANSA. Besides instructing, Agus is also a consultant of several choirs such as the Bel Cantare Choir in Sydney, Australia; Bank Sumsel’s Babel Voices, and the Universitas Sriwijaya student choir Belisario.

 Adji Kasyono, conductor – Category: Musica Sacra

 Adji Kasyono started to engage in choirs since becoming a member of Paragita in the beginning of his studies at FS/FIB (Faculty of Literature/Faculty of Humanities) Universitas Indonesia. He was guided by Mr. Lilik Sugiarto, who at the time was the instructor of Paragita choir and was followed by Aning Katamsi the year after. He took a break from Paragita for about 5 years before returning in 2007 as a member of the team of instructors, initiated by Aning Katamsi until today. Since joining Paragita, a number of achievements has he earned, both as a singer and a conductor.

In 2008, he conducted at the ITB Choir Festival in the female choir category, winning 3rd place.

In 2010, the choir won first place in the same festival, this time in the male choir category. Then in 2012, the choir went to join a series of competitions at the European Grand Prix for choral singing, which is one of the toughest choir competitions, in Debrecen, Hungary; with Adji as the assistant instructor. In 2014 the choir participated in the same Grand Prix, but this time he became one of the conductors and won second place in the mixed choir category.

In 2015 alongside Aning Katamsi, they guided Paragita in a collaboration with Rundfunkchor Berlin, a well-known choir from Germany, in their concert in Jakarta, followed by a collaboration with the Radcliffe female choir of Harvard University, USA.

In 2016, with head instructor Aning Katamsi, he directed the poetry-themed annual concert of Paragita entitled “Hasrat: a Poetic Rhapsody”.

In 2017, he accompanied Paragita again in an international choir competition in Vic, Cantonigrós, Spain, and won the second and third places in both categories the choir entered. Currently, he is a member of the Difertimento Vocal Ensemble and an instructor in high school student choirs and several choral communities.

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