Faculty Fellowship Conservatory of Music – Calling as an Artist

Who is an artist? What is the meaning of being an artist? Why an artist?

That is the questions which emerged in the Conservatory of Music Faculty fellowship for the new students.

Antonius Sugeng, acting Dean of Conservatory of Music as a speaker highlighted that the most important basic is the Words of God.

?It is from God and to God. In the beginning, God creates heaven. Please take note on the ?create? word. This is the significance of  God is an artist too. What is that mean? That we, ourselves represent God?s character as an artist?, Antonius explained.

This leads to Imago Dei, that humans are created in the image of God. So Sugeng stated that everybody is an artist. But the difference is that some people have specific calling as an artist, which is a passion. 

Furthermore, he explained the meaning of a certain people who have a special gift to become an artist. So this fellowship asked students to contemplated and ask themselves, are they calling is to become an artist, and how to fulfill it.

He explained that being an artist is not just a mere of skill, but there should be knowledge, understanding, wisdom and even a gift from God. Since that, the viewpoint of being an artist in the modern world should be adjusted from God?s purpose, all for God?s glory.

Why is the right basic foundation important? Because the battle is not just once, but as much as 7 days and 24 hours we fight with the outside world. External will confuse the way of thinking and mindset. ?About being an artist, purpose of being an artist, the meaning of being an artist. So the orientation from mostly human is self-centered. We are the center of our life. Not God as a designer. It will drain body and mind?, he stated.

Students need to be motivated by Truth. ?That is the most ultimate thing. Since the Truth will transform an old life?, explained Antonius Sugeng. He declared that is not an easy thing in the process. What is called as a journey is not just challenging but rewarding? And at the end, everybody can enjoy music and art and be a blessing to many people. He emphasized the difficulties of getting a motivation from the external, it should be from internal, as written in Romans 12:2, ?…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.? So he stated that a good motivation will change everything.

Practically, a question which arises in most time is a wondering that whether their calling is in the music area. He stated that it is a common thought, ?In the process that is a common thing. But the most important thing is do you have a clear vision and mission? That is why UPH as an educational institution should give a true basic foundation so that students can stand firm. As an artist who reacts before God, according to God?s design?.

Antonius Sugeng stated whilst he closing the fellowship, ?To bear a fruit, the tree should be healthy, rooted, and growth potential. The fruit will bear a fruit if the tree is healthy. But in reality, mostly tree has a lot of parasites, filled with false understandings. The meaning of fruits here is when the mind is transformed, have a good motivation to become an artist, the fruits will grow healthily, not forced but transformed with the true understanding?.