International Ethnic Music Festival: Surakarta, Central Java

The Surakarta city administration, in conjunction with groups of local artists, will host the Solo International Ethnic Music Festival (SIEM) at the Vastenberg Fort from Sept. 1-5, an official said.

“The festival will introduce local and international ethnic music to a wider audience at the same time as preserving local art and musical traditions.

“It is hoped the use of the Vastenberg Fort will introduce this Dutch landmark to younger generations,” Mayor Joko Widodo said, as quoted by detik.com.

The fort, which is situated in front of the Surakarta Palace, functioned as an observation post after the end of the Diponegoro War in the mid 1500s.

Source: Jakarta Post