By Kasyfi Kalyasyena
Hey there, I’m Kasyfi, originally from Jakarta and currently living my life in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Let me take you back to August 2020 when my story began. That was the month I received the fantastic news of being accepted as a jazz piano student at Codarts University of Arts Rotterdam. To add to my joy, I was also awarded the Codarts Talent Grant for the entire duration of my studies. It was a mix of excitement and nervousness as I realized this was going to be a major leap forward for me. But hey, studying music abroad had always been my dream, as I aspired to become an international jazz musician representing my country on the global music scene, inspiring people with my musicality. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to embark on this journey and kickstart my career.
Fast forward to now, I’m in my fourth year of bachelor studies, and I can’t wait to share some highlights of my experience in pursuing my goals, building networks beyond the school, and working as a freelance musician while studying. Before I dive into that, I want to express my gratitude to the Marinus Plantema Foundation for their financial support since 2021.
I consider myself fortunate because, when I started this bachelor program, I already had enough experience playing the piano since the tender age of 3. However, there are many students in my grade who only recently discovered the wonders of jazz music. In my opinion, this gives me an advantage as I can quickly shine among the first-year students. Of course, I continue to refine my skills and maintain a humble attitude, always eager to collaborate with new musicians. Leveraging this strength, I formed a quartet with some friends who showed great potential. Additionally, I received an invitation to play alongside my ensemble lecturer, Benjamin Herman, at one of the International Jazz Day events.
2020-2021 was undoubtedly a challenging year for everyone, especially musicians who rely on gigs to make a living. Frankly, I sometimes regretted choosing 2020 as the year to come to the Netherlands. However, amidst the sadness, there’s always a silver lining. This period allowed me to focus on adapting, honing my skills, communicating with others, and composing new works. Although it became more challenging to do these things, I remained proactive by attending jam sessions in the city. Even during the lockdown, my friends and I organized our own jam sessions, whether on campus or in closed venues. I believe participating in jam sessions is crucial for personal growth as a musician. It provides opportunities to collaborate with new people, expand our repertoire, showcase our talent to a wider audience, and build a network of connections. It was through these jam sessions that I managed to land gig opportunities.
On top of that, towards the end of my first year, I started teaching private piano lessons. With a modest teaching background, I took the leap and began teaching. Surprisingly, my student base grew steadily, becoming one of my means of survival in the Netherlands.
Building social connections within the Indonesian community in the Netherlands also turned out to be a significant advantage on my journey. It opened doors for collaboration, idea exchange, and mutual inspiration.
Now, as I navigate through 2022-2023, the path ahead seems to be gradually unfolding. I’ve learned that true passion and dedication never go in vain. My dreams are slowly becoming a reality. One of the highlights is the opportunity to perform on the Codarts Talent Stage at the North Sea Jazz Festival. It’s truly a moment of happiness for me. I’m also fortunate to have a more stable lineup of gigs and an expanding teaching schedule. Once again, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Marinus Plantema for their unwavering support in helping me achieve my goals.
I hope my story can inspire and encourage others to have faith in their passions. If you’re curious about my music, I’ve released some of it on my YouTube channel and Spotify under the name Kasyfi Kalyasyena. If you happen to be in the Netherlands, you might catch one of my live performances, and I would love to see you there and have a chat. For updates, you can visit my website at www.kasyfi.com. Cheers!