Juan Arminandi is a traditional musician, composer and DIY instrument maker from Singkawang. He is one of Indonesia’s prominent young composers, creating works focused on ecology and local tradition. Juan has received the Innovative Art Grant from the Kelola Foundation, a prestigious grant for young composers in Indonesia. In 2014, Juan joined the Balaan Tumaan Ensemble, a group led by OneBeat 2018 alumnus Nursalim Yadi Anugerah, recently playing the role of Concertmaster in their opera Ine Aya, an impressive opera featuring elements of the indigenous culture of Kalimantan and expressing concern with the destruction of the rainforest on the island. Juan is also the founder of Manangkata, a group combining sound, music, and visual arts in their work. Juan is also an eminent instrument builder, using materials as metaphorical references to local issues and stretching experimentations with non-hegemonic tuning systems. He has participated in several residency programs and international festivals such as the Camargo Foundation, SIPA – Solo International Performing Art, Holland Festival, CTM Festival, and ArtJog.
Juan Arminandi
