SOLO

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Mo’ong approaches the decolonization of his musical practice through an introspective analysis of the diverse musical traditions he carries within him—from modern Western music to ancestral sounds from Javanese gamelan. This self-analysis prompts him to interact with his surrounding environment, where he collects found objects and investigates their hidden acoustic properties. Through an intuitive tuning process, he transforms these sounds into innovative compositions. A central element of Mo’ong’s practice is the rejection of conventional frameworks, allowing objects to resonate in their purest form. By bypassing the formal structures of his musical education, Mo’ong treats these objects not only as instruments but as autonomous sound entities, each possessing its own voice and identity within the composition.

BIOGRAPHY:
J “MO’ONG” SANTOSO PRIBADI: Born in Bangkok and raised in Java, Johannes “Mo’ong” Santoso Pribadi is an experimental composer and instrument maker. His primary area of interest is Nusantara music, the music of Indonesia. Mo’ong began his studies with Western classical music, specializing in double bass, but quickly returned to his roots to explore the wisdom of Javanese folklore. He continued his graduate studies in arts at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts in Surakarta, where he earned a master’s degree in music composition under composer Rahayu Supanggah. In 2015, he was selected as a young, emerging composer at IRC+ (International Rostrum of Composers).
Mo’ong has participated in numerous national and international projects, creating across various musical genres and engaging in interdisciplinary projects related to modern dance, theater, contemporary puppet theater, installation art, and performance. In 2015, he initiated the project “Limbah Berbunyi,” in which he created and composed musical instruments from found objects or trash. Another recent project is “Raja Kirik,” an experimental duet exploring the theme of war during the Dutch occupation of Indonesia. Mo’ong has also worked as a sound designer and has written music for several independent films.