Indonesian Experimental Music Collective · Est. 2022
Listening from the diaspora — sound crossing the archipelago.
A composers' and performers' collective exploring cross-traditional sound practices across western, central, and eastern Indonesia.
Featured Work
A sound performance reconstructing Andung — the lamentation tradition of Batak Toba.
Andung (or mangandung) encompasses the sounds of weeping, expressions, and prayers that accompany death — a bridge between the human world and the ancestral realm. For the Batak people, life and death are two interconnected moments, not merely beginning and end. Lungun translates this tradition into a 45-minute electroacoustic performance for five musicians.
Selected Performances
Saodor Ensemble has been curated for international platforms championing experimental music and ESEA voices.
September 2025
Hoxton, London, United Kingdom
Closing PerformanceCentre 151 Hall
Work performed: Lungun
Undercurrent is dedicated to East & Southeast Asian artists in performance and sound art. Curated by Erika Song and TRA Collective, with Myna Stage and Half East Records. Saodor introduced the diaspora Batak artistic language to London's experimental art community.
May 2025
Berlin, Germany
Curated WorkBerlin
Work performed: Lungun
Europe's premier platform for innovative music. The selection validated diaspora and women's issues as relevant to contemporary classical music discourse, opening European curatorial networks for the ensemble.
August 2025
Lampung, Indonesia
Invited ArtistLampung
Work performed: Lungun
RECAKA Festival is a prestigious platform dedicated to the exploration and presentation of Indonesian traditional music in its contemporary dimensions. As a curated series within Festival Musik Tradisi Indonesia 2025 — one of the nation's most significant cultural programmes — RECAKA brings together leading artists and ensembles working at the intersection of tradition and innovation. Saodor Ensemble's invitation to perform affirms the ensemble's place within Indonesia's evolving landscape of contemporary music rooted in indigenous practice.
About · Philosophy
The name Saodor derives from the Batak Toba word sauduran, meaning "parallel" or "equal."
Founded in 2022, the ensemble draws from backgrounds in classical music, contemporary music, and Indonesian vocal–ritual traditions. Saodor works with new compositions, structured improvisation, and sound technology to present immersive and reflective listening experiences.
Projects often stem from cultural research — such as the Andung lamentation tradition of Batak Toba — translated into electroacoustic works, spatial performances, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. The ensemble actively builds networks with festivals, alternative spaces, and arts institutions, while developing long-term work that connects research practice, artistic production, and public presentation.
Explore LungunPress · EPK
Documents
For press, curators, festival programmers, and media professionals.
Selected Platforms
Undercurrent: ESEA Sound & Performance Art Festival
Closing Performance · London, 2025
Classical:NEXT
Curated Work · Berlin, 2025
RECAKA Festival
Invited Artist · Lampung, 2025
Akademika Bentara – Bentara Budaya Bali
Premiere · Bali, 2024
Press Contact
saodorensemble@gmail.comWe aim to reply within 5 business days. High-resolution images and technical rider available upon request.
Get In Touch
Direct Contact
Inquiries
saodorensemble@gmail.comBased In
Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
Response Time
We aim to reply within 5 business days.
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