USU PR- The Ethnomusicology Program of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) held a Christmas worship celebration themed "Serenade Of Joy: Jesus Is The Gift." It took place with reverence and full of joy at the USU Student Arena on Friday (12/09/2023).

The theme not only highlights the aspects of joy and harmony in the Christmas celebration but also invites reflection on the profound meaning of the birth of Jesus. This theme seeks to convey the message of happiness, peace, and love contained in the Christmas story while reinforcing the spiritual essence of the celebration amidst the diversity of Nusantara culture and traditions.

This Christmas celebration featured performances from various regions of Nusantara infused with the distinctive touch of Christmas. This was evident in the various captivating performances of the Christmas event, including musical dramas, procession fragments, the journey of Nusantara, and performances by guest stars.

Chairperson of Christmas Ethnomusicology 2023, Candra Sinaga, explained that the ethnomusicological Christmas celebration had become an annual tradition, with its main purpose being to express the joy of Christmas through the presentation of songs. He stated that the essence of this event is that the best Christmas gift is the birth of Jesus Christ.

"The hope is that the Christmas joy can be conveyed through music and song. We also aim to raise awareness among young people about Indonesia's local culture and traditions through this Christmas celebration," Candra clarified.

The USU Ethnomusicology Student Association Chairperson, Sinto Saragih, expressed gratitude to the alumni who contributed by providing materials and ideas to make this event a success. He also noted that the organizing committee faced various challenges in organizing this year's Christmas celebration but was able to overcome them together to create the current Christmas celebration.

"For the committee, thank you for overcoming these challenges to celebrate our Christmas today," Sinto said.

Benny Tambak, S.Sn., representing the Ethnomusicology alumni from the 2010 batch, described the experience as a memory tour, considering that this event is an annual tradition carried out by the Ethnomusicology Student Association. Benny also expressed appreciation for the ethnomusicology students who served as the organizing committee for the event.

"Extraordinary, fantastic, we can see here how this event is running smoothly. I know this is not an easy task; it requires a lot of hard and smart work," Benny exclaimed

Author: Bambang Riyanto - Humas

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: Muhammad Andriansyah - Humas