In 1999 JakArt was established as a grass-roots organization. It is entirely manned by volunteers. Uniquely, within the organization titles have little meaning and individuals work where and where they are needed. However, to comply with government regulations the organization has been legally registered as the JakArt Foundation.

Over the years many people have been involved with JakArt, too many to list them all.
Below you find the names of some the most consistently active members for the last ten years.

Ary Sutedja

Neocles Nicolas (Mikhail) David (RIP/alm.)

Sari Sabda Bhakti Madjid

René Peter Onno Rubiono van Helsdingen

Yulia Tri Hariyantini Bachar

Tantrie Soetjipto

Wijiyanto

Mulki Mulyana

Sukoco

Lina Suhartini

Pudjiwati Insia M. Effendi

Artiniati Sutedja

Ioanna Rea (Maryam) David

Founders:

Ary Sutedja
Chair Person

Neocles Nicolas (Mikhail) David (RIP/alm.)
Artistic Director

Founding Members

Pudjiwati Insia M. Effendi

Artiniati Sutedja

Ioanna Rea (Maryam) David

Executive Committee

Sari Sabda Bhakti Madjid
Chair Person

René Peter Onno Rubiono van Helsdingen
Program director

Yulia Tri Hariyantini Bachar
Secretary

Tantrie Soetjipto
Treasurer

Secretariat:

Head of Administration, Finance and Accounting: Wijiyanto
Creative Design and Documentation: Mulki Mulyana
General Administration: Sukoco, Lina Suhartini

Biographies:

Ary Sutedja
Chair Person and Founder

Indonesian pianist obtained her Master of Music degree in piano performance in the United States at Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland in 1992 where she studied with Reynaldo Reyes.  While at Towson, Ms. Sutedja studied with Reynaldo Reyes, graduated summa cum laude, and received a number of awards including “Outstanding Achievement in Music”; winner of the Peggy and the Yale Gordon Foundation Scholarship; and winner of the Talent Award Competition. She subsequently undertook Postgraduate studies at St Petersburg Conservatory in Russia under the guidance of Sofia Vakman, Sergey Uryvaev and Valery Visnevsky. Her teachers in Indonesia included Iravati M. Sudiarso.  While living in Germany (1980’s), she toured as piano accompanist with the Bremen Opera Theatre working under Kapellmeister Gunther Bauernschenk. Ary returned to Indonesia in 1993. In 1994 she co-founded Classical Nuances with Soun Youn Yoon (Oboist / Korea) and Sharon Eng (Viola / USA).  They have performed concerts in Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, England, the United States, Greece, Kuwait, and Australia. In 1999, together with her husband Mikhail David, Ary founded JakArt, an International Arts, Cultural and Educational Festival held in Jakarta during the entire month of June 2001, June 2002 and June 2003 where Ary held the position of Secretary-General. The JakArt Festivals have hosted over 1,000 events from world-class performances and exhibitions to public art and improvised events involving spontaneous expression.  The program (a.o. in dancer, theatre, music, architecture, visual arts, etc.) have taken place in over 300 venues at locations in and around Jakarta, ranging from the conventional to the alternative, and involving over 1,000 enthusiastic volunteers from all walks of life, and many local and international artists. In 2004, JakArt organized Festival à la Carte, a traveling Festival that traveled to 15 cities in Java and Bali.  Festival à la Carte was followed by a similar cultural program arranged by JakArt that traveled to 12 cities in the Peloponese (Greece) and in Athens during the Cultural Olympiad Athens 2004.  JakArt has been endorsed by UNESCO since 2002 and is a founding member of the Confederation of the Association of Asian Performing Arts Festival (AAPAF), other members which include the Singapore Arts Festival, Shanghai Arts Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, and the European Festival Association among many.  Ary served as a member of the Jakarta Art Council from 2003 – 2006 and She also a member of the Indonesian National Committee for the Cultural Olympiad (2002 – 2004).  From 2004 – present, She served as an executive council member of AAPAF organized and continues to perform solo and chamber music worldwide. In 2006, She performed in 46 cities around Indonesia together with her husband Mikhail David (a visual artist, created an Indonesian 100 cities tour concept), Indonesian cellist Asep Hidayat and Rene van Helsdingen (piano/jazz) in the program called ASAH I, II & III and They will continue the tour in 45 cities in 2011. In August 2008, her organization JakArt organized the Imaginary Festival (IF) and attended by 31 festival director and representatives from all over the world. In 2010 – 2012, she serves as vice chairperson of the AAPAF (the Association of Asian Performing Arts Festival).

Neocles Nicolas (Mikhail) David (RIP/alm.)
Artistic Director and Founder

was born in 1960 in West Africa of Cypriot and Greek parents grew up in Europe and studied in North America where he obtained a Bachelor’s in Athropology and Sociology (Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Since 1982 Mikhail has been living in Jakarta, Indonesia, dividing his time between Indonesia and Europe. Mikhail’s early visual art works tended towards minimalism shown in a number of solo and collective exhibitions in various countries including Greece, Italy, Canada, Australia, Indonesia…… During the 1990’s Mikhail became interested in installation works and begun creating “atmospheric inter-discipline interactive environments” evoking all of the Five Senses. For this purpose Mikhail created a special “space”, called “The Stage” (1991-1996), which became known as “the vanguard of the avant-garde”, a landmark of the Art Scene of Jakarta hosting over 3,000 local and visiting artists. During that same period Mikhail working with his friends, acclaimed Jazz musicians Luluk Purwanto (Indonesian violinist) and Rene van Helsdingen (Dutch pianist) and Dutch visual artist Art Marcus created a movable multi-purpose inter-disciplinary venue, “The Stage Bus”. Between 1994 and 1997 “ the Stage Bus” appeared in over 350 festivals and events all over Europe and the USA (70 concerts in 45 of the most prestigious Universities of the United States, 2002) and is currently touring Canada (100 concerts in 70 cities). Mikhail is also known as a photographer. His works have been shown in a number of solo and collective exhibitions and have appeared in several news publications, art publications, magazines, brochures, and books. Mikhail also expresses himself through Landscape and Interior Design incorporating sculptures and other visual art works in the environment. Mikhail is married to the internationally acclaimed Indonesian concert pianist / musician Ary Sutedja-David. Together with his wife, Mikhail established the JakArt@ Festivals and Festival a la Carte. Two of his major recent works are “Homage to the Eternal Creativity of The Human Race” (2003) & “All the luggage we carry” (2004). In July 2003 JakArt presented at the National Museum: “Homage to the Eternal Creativity of The Human Race” This unique installation/ exposition was designed as a sketch of atmospheric impressions suggesting the scope and possibilities of Mikhail’s proposal for the creation of a traveling and fully comprehensive chronological Educational Exposition (a traveling museum) of the most important examples of art produced throughout human history around the world, from the cave dweller to the present, in the form of museum replicas in an “atmospheric” context using material from both the Tangible Heritage and Intangible Heritage from around the world. The event, was officiated by the Director General of UNESCO, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura and the Indonesian Minister for Culture and Tourism, Mr. I Gde Ardika. In 2006 he created an Indonesian 100 cities tour concept and performed in 46 cities around Indonesia together with his wife (Indonesian pianist), Indonesian cellist Asep Hidayat and Rene van Helsdingen (piano/jazz) in the program called ASAH I, II & III and They will continue the tour in 45 cities in 2011. In August 2008, His organization JakArt organized the Imaginary Festival (IF) and attended by 31 festival director and representatives from all over the world.

Sari Sabda Bhakti Madjid
Chair Person Executive Committee

was born on February 25, 1962. Theater is her life. She’s not only good at theater, but also often become the stage manager for many Teater Koma’s performances. She also handle the success of JakArt festival and Teater Koma’s performances. Dede, her nick name, wants to realize her goal; to make Jakarta to become the cultural city of the world. Now, she is the Chief of Finance and Adminstration of Dewan Kesenian Jakarta.

René Peter Onno Rubiono van Helsdingen
Program director Executive Committee

was born in Jakarta, Indonesia on February 25, 1957. His nationality is Dutch. He studied classical music with Mrs. Komter Loeber in Blaricum, the Netherlands from 1962 – 1972. Then he studied Jazz music with Terry Trotter and Lazlo Cser in Los Angeles in 1979. His earliest influences: Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner and Bill Evans. Over the years,  René has recorded and produced for many different labels, such as Virgin, Timeless, WEA, Zebra Acoustic, Pacific Music, Munich Records and his own label Helsdingen Music. His piano work is articulate, engaging and always encourages good side men. René writes most of his repertoire.
“A rewarding pianist who can play comfortably in the groove, or create more impressionistic patterns, or quiet, subtle musings. Perhaps the most notable quality of his solos is brevity. René allows himself a few extended workouts and avoids the trap of repeating himself or overstating his case”,The Age” Melbourne, 23 Dec. 1996. During the last 35 years he has organized many successful tours, projects and festivals sponsored by ngo’s , governmental institutions, companies to which he was responsible with regard to the control over the budgets made available. René has always been engaged intensively and continuously in composing, performing and recording of music on sound recording media. He has a copyright arrangement with BUMA STEMRA Netherlands.
For a more detailed biography visit:
http://www.renevanhelsdingen.com/biography.html

Yulia Tri Hariyantini Bachar
Secretary Executive Committee

Graduated from the Pancasila University in 1990 majoring in Economic Management. Her carrier started in the Banking Industry in 1992 ranging from marketing, dealing room (treasury department), middle office (Risk control department), back office (settlement department) as well as banking operations. She holds some certificates related to the financial markets, risk management and back office management from several institutions in Indonesia and overseas such as IPPM – Indonesia, Institute Banking and Finance Singapore, ACI Institute – Forexindo Indonesia, Money for Wealth Financial Services Indonesia and Euromoney Training Singapore.  Yulia has a special interest in risk management and in 2004 she began her involvement in Global Association of Risk Professionals GARP as a member of the Membership Committee. Then in 2005 she dedicated her time as Co Regional Director of the Global Association of Risk Professionals for Indonesia Chapter. Beside her activities in the Banking Industry and her mingling among risk management professionals,  she also spent her time since 1998 to support the establishment of  JakArt – an International Arts, Cultural and Educational Festival. She is very flexible and is always involved in many different functions like Sometimes she writing press releases, translating documents, handling merchandising, supporting the accounting staff, and as volunteer she believes that JakArt will stimulate the development of Indonesia’s civil society.

Tantrie Soetjipto
Treasurer Executive Committee

Pudjiwati Insia M. Effendi
Founder Member

PUDJIWATI INSIA M. EFFENDI, began piano lessons at the age of five. She continued piano studies with Henk te Strake (Netherlands) and Mr. Zabo (Hungary). She studied at the Conservatoire Musique de Geneva, Switzerland where she won the 2nd prize in Virtuosity upon Graduation. She made her debut with the “Orchestra de la Suisse Romande”. In 1960 she was invited by the U.S. government to perform and lecture about Javanese dance at universities throughout the U.S.A.  Mrs. Insia’s travels have taken her to Bucharest, Hongkong and to New York where she studied piano with Prof. Magda Niculau, Prof. Halmos, Mrs, Nina Isadora and Madame Adele Marcus. In Indonesia, Mrs. Insia performed as a soloist with the Jakarta Symphony Orchestra and the Nusantara Symphony Orchestra. She gave a recital in Perth, Australia in 1993. In that same year, together with her friends, she estabilished the International Music Foundation, a non- profit organization for the appreciation and Advancement of music, and a music school, Yayasan Musik Intenational (YMINT) with the purpose to enhance music education in Indonesia. Today she is head of the foundation and director of Yayasan Musik Internasional.

Artiniati Sutedja
Founder Member

Ioanna Rea (Maryam) David
Founder Member

Maryam Ioanna Rea David was born in Egypt. She graduated from Trinity Collage, Dublin, with degrees B.A. Honors and M.A. in English and French literature, and followed a course in Child Psychology at the University of London. She has engaged herself in business, books, journalism, and teaching. She is a linguist and speaks seven languages. She has traveled widely around the world and has lived in Egypt, the U.K., Ireland, Cyprus, West Africa, Greece, and Indonesia.
She has exhibited her paintings in Greece, Indonesia, and Australia. She writes poetry, prose, and children’s stories. She is also involved with translations. She is a bilingual writer. She has published the following books: Reflections (1990), Πέρα από το χρόνο (1991), Timeless Imprints (1992), Διαύγεια (1996), Angelina (and Αγγελίνα) (1999), Αναμνήσεις μιας Παραμάνας (2006), Experiencing the Miraculous (and Η Χημεία του Πνεύματος) (2008), 26,659 days & Fire (2009) and Interlude of Feelings (2010).
For the last forty-five years she has been a member of the International Association of Subud.

For more information:
www.maryamdavid.com

Secretariat:

Head of Administrationm, Finance and Accounting: Wijiyanto

Creative Design and Documentation: Mulki Mulyana

General Administration: Sukoco, Lina Suhartini