By arts editor HELEN MUSA

Canberra’s National Carillon will ring out with an unusual blend of Indonesian and Australian musical traditions on Monday, August 17, as the Embassy of Indonesia and the National Capital Authority mark the 81st anniversary of Indonesian independence.

Senior carillonist Thomas Laue will perform alongside the Indonesian Ladies Association Angklung Ensemble, led by Marsia Gustiananda Pramono, wife of the Indonesian ambassador, in a rare collaboration bringing the traditional Indonesian bamboo instrument together with the carillon’s bells.

The Indonesian ladies’ angklung community group in Canberra, Paduan Harmoni Angklung Masyarakat Indonesia di Canberra, brings together members of the Indonesian diaspora, students and spouses.

The group rehearses at the Indonesian Embassy on Fridays and regularly performs at Canberra events including Floriade and the annual Angklung for Peace concert.

The angklung, a traditional instrument from West Java, consists of bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. Each instrument produces a single resonant pitch, meaning performers must work together to create melodies.

The Indonesian Ladies Association Choir will also perform national anthems as part of the official program, reflecting a contemporary Indonesian practice of combining traditional angklung with modern melodies and musical accompaniment.

The concert will also introduce live video streaming, allowing audiences to see the carillonist, angklung performers and choir throughout the performance. The free stream will be available through the auXync application across Wi-Fi accessible areas of Queen Elizabeth II Island.

As part of the celebrations, the National Carillon and several other buildings in the National Triangle will be illuminated in Indonesia’s national colours, red and white, on the evening of August 17.

The Carillon Concert to Commemorate the 81st Anniversary of Indonesian Independence will be held at the National Carillon from 6pm to 7pm on Monday, August 17.

News all day, every day at CityNewsQBN.com.au.