Benyamin Franklin Manumpil (Benny)

Benny first received vocal training when he was just 8 years old under the guidance of Mrs. Pranawengrum Katamsi. Benny later received his formal musical education at the Music Department of Jakarta School of Theology in 1995-1996. Under the supervision of Aida Swenson Simanjuntak and Ronald Pohan he studied the vocal and choral conducting. He also studied the history of church music from H. A. Pandopo and Victor Nadapdap, and from Rudolf R. Pantouw on conducting theories. Benny also attended vocal mastering classes of Prof. Marcus Goritsky (Opera Department, Freiburg Conservatory of Music, Germany), Prof. Gu Ping (Opera Department, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, China), and Atfeh Ziyan (Italy). Since April 2007, Benny pursued vocal training under the guidance of Joseph Kristanto Pantioso in Musikasa studio and since 2010 under the guidance of Mrs. Yenny Wiriawaty.

Benny is actively teaching some church choirs in Jakarta, and also frequently provides Choral Clinics for preparations prior to choir competition. He is also a frequent Adjudicator in various vocal competitions and choral groups, including art festivals of HKBP Pasar Rebo and Art Week of Pelita Harapan School in Sentul , Cibubur.

 

Some of the awards he has received include: the first place Small Choir in Festival Choir at ITB 2000 received by Impromptu Singers and Golden Diploma got by Ursula Canisius Voice in ITB Choir Festival 2004. With some young singers, Benny won the highest award in the Asian Youth Choir 2002 in Niigata, Japan. While in the Art Spring Festival 2006 in Pyong Yang, North Korea, Benny and the Quartet representative Nusantara Indonesia won the Silver Medal for the Arirang song, with a special arrangement by Benny. Benny acted as conductor and music director for the Terra Voce Music Consort and won a Silver Diploma for Open Mixed Choir at the Asian Voyage of Song in Pattaya, Thailand (2007) and a Silver Diploma for the Mixed Chamber Choir Festival ITB, Bandung (2008). He was placed in 7th position in Parahyangan International Chamber Choir Competition (2009) and the Gold Medal in 2nd rank in the Magnificat Choir Competition (2009). Benny is also the conductor of the Saint Peter's Choir, Jakarta Cathedral. In January 2012, Benny got the opportunity to participate in the XLIX Francisco Vinas International Singing Contest in Barcelona, Spain, and in June 2012 with the Twilite Orchestra & Chorus he performed on tour in Europe in Bratislava and Berlin.