TRADITIONAL music enthusiasts from Melaka's Peranakan Chinese community are working to preserve the cultural heritage of keroncong through workshops for students.

Organising chairman Daniel Ang Yam Seng said 80 students and teachers from 16 secondary schools here participated in the recent inaugural workshop.

“The aim is to get more young people to appreciate traditional music and ensure that these music genres are preserved in the future,” he said on Friday (June 20).

Ang said the workshop also had the support of several government departments.

He said participants were introduced to vocal performances and musical instruments associated with Keroncong.

“Similar workshops will be continued in the future with the first one receiving overwhelming response,” he added.

Ang noted that keroncong holds a special place in the local cultural landscape and community-led initiatives like this are seen as vital in passing down this legacy to the younger generation.

Keroncong refers to both a small ukulele-like instrument and a traditional Indonesian musical style.

The term is thought to come from the “chrong-chrong-chrong” sound produced when the instrument is strummed, and the tones heard when multiple instruments are played together.

A typical keroncong ensemble features a vocalist accompanied by an orchestra comprising flute, violin, two ukuleles, cello, double bass, and guitar.

Keroncong music is believed to have originated in the 16th century when Portuguese sailors brought European instruments and musical styles to Indonesia.