Guitar connects soul, mind and body through cadence

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

What is bound to happen, would. It did; in Dubai when a diplomat, an arranger, and their love for music became a Thursday evening of a new friendship.

Albeit it took a decade.

“I first stumbled upon his series of You Tube channels way back in 2014,” recalled the new Consul General of Indonesia in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, Denny Lesmana, 52.

The probability of the meet-up was hatched 10 days back.

At the time when the seventh head of the Indonesian consular mission in Dubai, pleasantly stunned guests at the September 25 Diplomatic Reception for the 79th founding anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, via his guitar performance of The Beatles’ “Let It Be” and later on, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” interpreted by his eldest,  Putri Syahla Alika on the vocals, and through both songs, was accompanied on the saxophone by Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre-Dubai Director Widi Haryanto. 

The meet-up Lesmana was looking forward to concerns Lex Von Sumayo.

“He inspires me. He is a Filipino. He lives in Dubai and I want to meet him,” he replied with a wide grin that evening.

Thanks to Facebook, Gulf Today located Sumayo.

Now, among several common denominators, remember that the consul general strummed “Let It Be” on his first public appearance on the night of September 25.

According to Sumayo: “Most of my family are music enthusiasts, although none of them play instruments. When I was in high school, a documentary about The Beatles aired on one of the TV channels in the Philippines, and that inspired me to learn guitar.”

That spur led the 47-year-old 20-year UAE resident to the late prominent Spanish classical guitarist Andres Segovia whom he heard many times over the radio: “I became interested in classical guitar.”

Armed with a Bachelor of Music degree, major in Music Education and Classical Guitar from the 105-year-old Philippine Women’s University in Manila, Sumayo landed in Dubai in 2004, as a guitar teacher and among the Philippine-hired teachers at the Filipino-owned and managed Jumeirah Music Centre.

Both of my parents were teachers, which also greatly influenced my career path,” said Sumayo who described classical guitar as ‘a very heartfelt instrument that expresses more than any other because it is played directly with the fingers, while the player embraces the instrument, keeping it close to his heart.’ 

Today, having been trained to write musical sheets Sumayo, by way of his own LVS Works has so far over 500 favourite Original Pilipino Music to ‘international hit songs including The Beatles’ personally arranged for solo classical and finger-style guitar published both in print and electronically. Since 2009 he has been ‘uploading solo classical guitar videos initially to promote Philippine pop music.’

Among his millions of followers worldwide has been Consul General Lesmana who incidentally has his own deep love for music and the classical guitar since his childhood in Jakarta.

“I and my peers had our own guitars. First, we could carry it anywhere easily,” Lesmana said, this reporter having taken note of a keyboard at one corner of the Official Residence of the Consul General.

“I love the way you (Lex) arrange the songs. I know by heart the complete list of the first six of your 15 published Solo Guitar books,” Lesmana added, also saying that like any other musician, self-expression is done through a piece as the heart and soul unite.

Sumayo was thrilled with appreciation: “They motivate me to create more guitar arrangements as long as I can. Music is truly a universal language, and the guitar is my gateway to connect with others.”

The evening was made cheerier with the impromptu performances as well of Alika who astounded Sumayo for her delivery of his self- arranged “Aubrey” flawlessly, alongside The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Till There Was You.” Senior year high school son Muhammad Aldan Arziki was a wow with his rendition of “Tango en Skai” and “Merry-Go-Round.” Next time, it would be the metallic rock guitar of freshman university daughter Raissa Zalfa Aqila.