Most of the singers in this choir can't read sheet music the way a conservatory student can. Their conductor never trained formally either. And in three weeks, they'll be the only choir representing Indonesia on one of the world's biggest choral stages.

Svara Nusantara is an independent, self-taught choir community founded in 2023 in South Tangerang, Banten. It now includes more than 80 young members from across Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi). In July 2026, the group will compete in the Mixed Choir category of The 8th Tokyo International Choir Competition (TICC), held in Tokyo, Japan, from July 24 to 26. They are the only Indonesian choir to qualify for that category this year.

At a glance:

• Founded: 2023, South Tangerang
• Members: 80+, mostly from Jabodetabek
• Competing: July 24–26, 2026, Tokyo
• Status: Sole Indonesian finalist, Mixed Choir category
  
  

Who Is Svara Nusantara ?

The choir was co-founded by Ahmad Yani, known within the group as "Javert," who also serves as Choir Master. His co-founder, Rivaldi Sudrazat, now leads the project team preparing the group's trip to Tokyo. Neither has a formal music education background — a detail the choir doesn't hide, but leans into.

That background (or lack of it) is part of what makes their trajectory unusual. In 2024, Svara Nusantara won Grand Champion at the National Folklore Festival and took 3rd Place plus Best Choreography at the Jakarta National Choir Competition (JNCC). The same year, South Tangerang's local government named them Best Arts-Based Community at the Tangsel Creative Award.

How Did They Prepare for Tokyo?

On June 27, 2026, the choir held its third annual concert, Jayasvara Indonesia 2026, at Balai Resital Kertanegara in South Jakarta. Two shows ran that day, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., with tickets priced at Rp175,000. The concert doubled as a pre-departure showcase — a final stress test before Tokyo.

"In rehearsal, we can fix a lot of things technically. But performing in front of an audience brings a different kind of energy and pressure. That's an important space for the singers to learn," Ahmad Yani said, describing the concert as one of the last checkpoints before the flight to Japan.

You could hear that pressure in the room — the low murmur of a sold-out crowd settling in, then the sudden hush before the first note landed. It's the same room where the choir sold out its 2025 concert, Jagaddhita: Senandung Mimpi, Senandung Semesta.

What's at Stake in Tokyo?

The Tokyo International Choir Competition is one of four contests that make up the World Choral Championship (WCC), a global circuit that pits Grand Prix winners from Tokyo, Taipei, and Krakow against each other the following year. Winning the Mixed Choir category in Tokyo wouldn't just be a trophy — it would put Svara Nusantara on track for the WCC itself.

"This is a big test of our ability as an organization to operate at a more mature level. Beyond rehearsal and artistic readiness, there's production, funding, publicity, and travel logistics we all have to manage together," Rivaldi Sudrazat said.

That's the surprising part most people miss: getting a volunteer-run, self-funded community choir onto an international jury's stage is as much a logistics feat as a musical one.