Research

I conducted this research during the first semester of the 2025/2026 academic year with funding support from an internal grant provided by the Research and Community Service Institute (LPPM) of Universitas Kristen Immanuel (UKRIM) Yogyakarta. The project was led by me as a Head of Research, in collaboration with Yonathan Graffyte Joenardo, and Dewi Yusina Harobu as research team members. Research outputs are targeted for publication in a scholarly journal article, an international book chapter, and a national book chapter. 

My interest in this topic emerged from reading studies on Indonesian piano repertoire and reflecting on how piano education in Indonesia continues to be shaped by historical Western traditions. I chose SMKN 2 Kasihan Yogyakarta, as the research site because of its long-standing role in formal music education since the colonial era and its continuing influence in shaping new generations of Indonesian musicians. As one of the country's most prominent music institutions, it provides a meaningful context for examining contemporary issues surrounding the decolonization of piano pedagogy. 

Background

Piano education in Indonesia continues to be largely shaped by Western classical traditions, reflected in curricula, assessment systems, pedagogical resources, and performance practices. Although Indonesian composers have produced a rich body of piano repertoire that embodies local cultural values, aesthetics, and musical identities, these works often remain peripheral to mainstream piano instruction. As a result, students are frequently exposed to musical knowledge that is disconnected from their own cultural contexts, limiting opportunities to engage with Indonesian perspectives through piano learning.

In recent years, the decolonization of music education has emerged as an important global discussion, encouraging educators to critically examine whose knowledge, values, and traditions are represented in teaching and learning. While previous studies have explored Indonesian piano repertoire from historical, analytical, and performance perspectives, little attention has been given to how teachers and students perceive its pedagogical role in contemporary piano education. This study addresses that gap by investigating perspectives on decolonizing piano pedagogy at SMKN 2 Kasihan Yogyakarta and exploring how the Educative Evidence-Based Practice (EEBP) model may be contextualized to support more culturally responsive, reflective, and locally grounded piano teaching practices. 

Research Findings

This findings revealed four interconnected themes shaping the decolonization of piano pedagogy and the contextualization of the Educative Evidence-Based Practice (EEBP) model: awareness of Indonesian piano repertoire and decolonization, perceived value and relevance for teaching, teacher capability, and structural and practical barriers. 

Teachers generally expressed openness toward integrating Indonesian piano repertoire into piano instruction and recognized its potential to broaden cultural representation in music education. However, differences emerged in their readiness to implement such changes, influenced by pedagogical experience, curriculum demands, access to learning resources, and familiarity with local repertoire. 

Students responded positively to the inclusion of Indonesian piano works. Exposure to local repertoire contributed to the development of cultural literacy, reflective listening, and a stronger connection between musical learning and cultural identity. These outcomes were particularly evident among senior students, who demonstrated greater independence in musical exploration and critical reflection. 

The study also found that teachers viewed EEBP as a promising framework for making pedagogical decisions that balance professional expertise, student needs, contextual factors, and multiple forms of evidence. At the same time, participants identified practical challenges, including limited access to pedagogically curated Indonesian piano scores, insufficient teaching resources, and institutional structures that continue to prioritize Western-oriented assessment and curriculum models. 

Conclusions and Recommendations

This study suggests that the decolonization of piano pedagogy is not simply a matter of introducing Indonesian repertoire into existing curricula. Rather, it involves an ongoing process of negotiating cultural awareness, pedagogical capacity, and institutional realities. Both teachers and students generally responded positively to the idea of a more culturally responsive piano education, while the EEBP model demonstrated considerable potential as a framework for supporting reflective and context-sensitive pedagogical decision-making.

To support sustainable implementation, educational institutions should expand access to Indonesian piano repertoire, develop structured teaching resources, and provide professional development opportunities that connect theory with classroom practice. Piano educators are encouraged to incorporate local repertoire as a meaningful component of learning, fostering both musical growth and cultural awareness. Future research may further explore the application of EEBP across different music education contexts and contribute to the development of pedagogical materials that strengthen the role of local musical knowledge within formal piano education. 

I conducted this research during the first semester of the 2021/2022 academic year as part of the Novice Lecturer Research Program, funded through an internal research grant from Universitas Kristen Immanuel (UKRIM) Yogyakarta. The study was later presented during the institutional monitoring and evaluation session organized by the Research and Community Service Institute (LPPM) and subsequently published as a single-author article in a nationally accredited SINTA-3 journal.  

My interest in this topic emerged from my experience teaching Piano IV at the undergraduate level. Observing a decline in students' motivation to practice and engage with piano learning, I became interested in exploring alternative pedagogical approaches that could foster greater motivation, collaboration, and musical development. This led me to investigate the educational potential of six-hand piano ensemble playing as an innovative learning strategy for intermediate-level piano students in higher music education. 

Background

This study investigates using the six-hand piano as a teaching tool to improve piano learning in music education, addressing challenges in skill development and student motivation. While research mainly focuses on four-hand and duet ensembles, the potential of six-hand piano, especially in education, still needs to be explored. Previous studies highlight the benefits of six-hand piano, such as improving musical abilities, boosting motivation, and encouraging collaboration. This research examines how six-hand piano compositions, particularly etudes, can inspire students to practice, enhance their skills, and develop fundamental character values aligned with the 18 pillars of national character.  

Research Findings

The study found that the six-hand piano positively influences learning by motivating practice and improving technical and musical skills. Students better understood piano techniques and music structure while developing essential character traits like curiosity, responsibility, cooperation, discipline, hard work, friendliness, and communication. The results suggest that the six-hand piano can be valuable in music education. Future research could explore the structure of six-hand piano compositions for educational use, integrating Indonesian music to promote cultural appreciation and fostering collaboration between composers and educators to expand the application of six-hand piano in music teaching for any piano level. These areas could significantly enhance the role of the six-hand piano in music education. 

I conducted this research between 2017 and 2018 as part of my Master's degree studies under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Kun Setyaning Astuti at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. The study was successfully defended as a master's thesis, presented at an international conference, and subsequently published in the Proceedings of the International Conference on Art and Arts Education by Atlantis Press. 

My interest in this topic emerged from observing a children's choir that had achieved remarkable success at the international level despite being composed primarily of children from rural communities, many of whom had little or no prior musical experience. The choir was founded and nurtured by Yason Christy Pranowo, widely known as “Mas Yason,” together with his two assistants. I became curious about the educational processes behind these achievements and sought to understand what kind of learning model could transform children with limited musical backgrounds into high-performing choir members. This curiosity ultimately led to an in-depth investigation of the pedagogical practices that shaped the choir's success. 

Background

Character education through non-formal pathways like choirs has gained attention in music education, with previous studies highlighting extracurricular activities' role in instilling moral values, mainly within formal settings. This study analyzes the Vocalista Angels, a children's choir in a rural area in Klaten, East Java, to explore the learning model and its relevance to character education, which has led to outstanding achievements. It identifies a gap in the literature, emphasizing the importance of structured approaches in non-formal education, especially in children's choirs, which can produce remarkable results even among economically disadvantaged families.

Research Findings

This research uses a qualitative case study approach to explore how a structured learning model within non-formal education, particularly choirs, supports the character development of children from rural areas. The findings show that the learning model involves information, social interaction, and behavior, structured into a teacher-centered learning approach, direct learning strategies, and methods such as speech, discussion, tasks, recitation, and drills. Its leadership significantly influenced the structure, specifically, Mas Yason, the head mentor, who managed it exceptionally well. However, he was unaware of the terminology related to learning structures. This inspired me to analyze the concept further and publish my findings. Subsequently, the model aligns with the 18 pillars of national character education, promoting values like religiosity, discipline, hard work, independence, responsibility, curiosity, friendliness, and communication. This approach has led to notable achievements despite the children's rural backgrounds. Future research could compare similar models in non-formal communities across Indonesia to assess the generalizability of these findings and further explore music-based character education’s impact on social and psychological development. 

I conducted this research between 2014 and 2015 as part of my Bachelor's degree studies at HKBP Jeruju, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, a congregation of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP), the largest Batak church denomination in Indonesia. The study was successfully defended as an undergraduate thesis and later published as a scholarly article in the institution's academic journal. 

My interest in this topic began after attending worship services that incorporated uning-uningan (Batak Toba traditional music ensemble) as part of the musical liturgy. During conversations with church members, I encountered differing opinions regarding its use in worship. While some appreciated it as an expression of Batak cultural heritage, others questioned its place within church services because of its historical associations with traditional beliefs and rituals. These discussions sparked my curiosity about how younger generations within the church responded to the presence of uning-uningan in worship and whether they remained interested in sustaining this musical tradition within contemporary church life. 

Background

Over time, traditional music, once reserved for rituals, has been incorporated into Sunday worship. Researchers need to study the younger generation's interest in using uning-uningan ensembles in church services, as integrating traditional music into worship settings offers a unique and spiritual experience, especially at HKBP Jeruju. However, youth participation in this ensemble still needs to be improved. This study examines the youth's interest in the uning-uningan ensemble and its instruments, highlighting the need for greater involvement. The research gap exists in studies focusing on youth interest in the Batak Toba traditional music ensemble for worship, particularly outside its region of origin. This study argues that the youth of HKBP Jeruju show significant interest in the uning-uningan ensemble, evidenced by their participation in learning the instruments. However, challenges still need to be solved to maintain its consistent use.

Research Findings

This research uses a descriptive-quantitative method with a Likert scale and reliability analysis using Cronbach's Alpha to assess the internal consistency of the data. The findings of this study show that the youth of HKBP Jeruju have a high level of interest in the uning-uningan ensemble as worship music, with 90% of respondents showing high or very high interest (40% very high, 50% high). Additionally, 64% of respondents prefer the taganing instrument, while a smaller portion select other instruments such as sulim and hasapi. Based on these findings, future research could focus on developing more effective training methods to improve the youth's skills in playing the instruments of the uning-uningan ensemble and expand this research to other churches outside of Pontianak to understand how the cultural integration of traditional music is accepted in worship across different regions.