The UGM Marching Band has triumphed as the overall champion in the 2023 Hamengkubuwono Cup.
Throughout the three-day event, from October 20 to October 22, 2023, the UGM Marching Band excelled across various categories and secured seven wins.
They obtained 1st place in the display general standings, music percussion, visual ensemble, and music wind display, and 2nd place in color guard and general effect.
Accumulating a total of 87,650 points, the UGM Marching Band proudly earned a Gold category placement, surpassing seven other competitors: the Atma Jaya Marching Band with 85,550 points, the Kutai Kartanegara Drum Corps from East Kalimantan with 83,950 points, the Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Drum Corps with 83,850 points, the Citra Derap Bahana Yogyakarta State University Marching Band with 83,050 points, the Makassar Drum Corps with 81,600 points, the Saraswati Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta Drum Corps with 81,400 points, and the Gita Swara Intifada Cirebon Marching Band with 75,450 points.
“This achievement brings the rotating trophy of the Hamengkubuwono Cup back to Universitas Gadjah Mada after its 2019 overall champion title,” said Alvano Okie Febriananda, the head of the UGM Marching Band, on Thursday (October 26).
He explained that the UGM Marching Band participated in the display category, and 96 players represented it. Seventy-one officials also supported the contingent.
Alvano Febriananda elaborated that the 2023 marching band championship is an international competition under the auspices of the Asian Marching Band Confederation (AMBC) in collaboration with the Yogyakarta branch of the Indonesian Drum Band Association (PDBI).
The competition encompassed different levels, such as junior (for students in elementary school), senior (for students in junior high school), and general (for universities and the general public).
“In this general category, various marching band and drum band units from different ASEAN countries participated. This year, the UGM Marching Band performed a show titled ‘Before Century: Darwin’s Theory.’,” Febriananda described.
“The performance included four songs: the Jurassic Park Theme Song by John Williams, Wakanda from Black Panther by Ludwig Gurasson, My House from Matilda The Musical by Tim Minchin, and Two Worlds from Tarzan by Phil Collins.”
During this championship, the team’s performance commenced with movement 1, depicting the prehistoric atmosphere, the emergence of tribal leaders, gatherings, and the creation of weapons for hunting.
Movement 2 portrayed hunting moments, celebrating the successful hunt and interspecies conflict among ancient humans.
Movement 3 depicted the transition of prehistoric humans into a society, the emergence of language and images, cultivation, and agriculture.
Finally, movement 4 depicted the end or the twilight of the prehistoric era marked by the existence of inscribed stones, followed by a recap and conclusion of the performance.
Author: Agung Nugroho