Javanese Keroncong (String Band) ft. Peni Candra Rini & Rumput

The Front Porch presents Peni Candra Rini in an evening of traditional and contemporary Javanese string band music. Don't miss the final concert of our spring 2026 Global Roots series, proudly supported by WTJU.

Keroncong is the name for the traditional Javanese (Indonesian) string band, which evolved from the introduction of Western string instruments to the Dutch East Indies beginning over 300 years ago. Over the years, the genre has incorporated gamelan (traditional Indonesian percussion orchestra) repertoire and techniques to become a medium for new forms of composition. 

Peni Candra Rini, PhD (b. 1983) is a renowned Javanese singer and composer. The Kronos Quartet has described her as “one of the world’s greatest singers.” She is a master of several traditional forms (primarily gamelan) and is regarded as one of Indonesia’s most daring young composers, one of only a handful of female composers in the majority Muslim nation. She has performed extensively internationally, including several world tours as the featured singer for Robert Wilson’s I La Galigo. She is a recipient of grants from the Asian Cultural Council, is a two-time grantee of the US State Department’s One Beat and Fulbright programs, and in 2022 was named an Aga Khan Foundation laureate of the arts. 

Rini is supported by Rumput, an ensemble of musicians from Richmond, VA who have studied the genre since 2015, frequently working with visiting Indonesian master artists, and have toured Indonesia twice.

In this performance the ensemble presents traditional keroncong works as well as Rini’s original compositions for the ensemble. 

www.rumput.org 
www.penicandrarini.com @penicandrarini IG/FB

This is a seated indoor show. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Music starts at 7 PM. For more information, check out our FAQs!