Harimada Kusuma, born in Surabaya on March 2, 1983, is a distinguished pianist who began his musical journey at the age of seven under the guidance of Maria Fenty Alexander at Yamaha Music School. At twelve, he was accepted into the Music School of Yayasan Pendidikan Musik (YPM) Manggarai, where he continued his piano studies under the same tutor until level V. He then progressed under Adelaide Simajuntak-Simbolon for level VI and Preparatory Conservatory (PK) 1, and under Iravati M. Sudiarso for PK 2 until he graduated from PK 3. Harimada’s early achievements include securing second place in the 2001 Jakarta Piano Competition, directed by Yazeed Djamin, and making his solo recital debut at Erasmus Huis Jakarta in 2002, followed by another solo recital at the same venue in 2003 before his departure to the Netherlands.
In September 2003, Harimada was accepted into the Rotterdam Conservatorium in the Netherlands to further his music studies under Professor Mila Baslawskaja from Russia. A year later, he continued his studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam under the same professor, earning his Bachelor of Music degree in 2008 and his Master of Music degree in 2010, both with cum laude honors. During his studies in the Netherlands, Harimada participated in masterclasses with renowned pianists such as Jean-Bernard Pommier, Jan Wijn, Elza Kolodin, and Hakon Austbø. He was also actively involved in chamber music, attending masterclasses by Frans van Ruth, Jaap Kooi, Dimitri Ferschtman, Dido Keuning (lied class), and a two-year master-lied class with Udo Reinemann and Rudolf Jansen. Harimada formed several permanent duos with Dutch and international musicians, performing at festivals and events in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Hungary, and Taiwan.
While living in the Netherlands, Harimada was also active in education, teaching practical music at Rudolf Steiner College Rotterdam (2007-2015) and harmony, theory, and music analysis at Hogeschool Leiden (2013-2015). Since 2010, he has been an accompanist for Eurythmy, participating in renowned festivals in Alfter, Witten-Annen (Germany), The Hague (Netherlands), and Dornach (Switzerland). In 2011 and 2012, Harimada presented two chamber music concerts titled Harimada Kusuma and Friends at Goethe Institute Jakarta, collaborating with various Indonesian musicians. From 2013 to 2016, he organized the Chamber Music Concert Series in Rotterdam, called Kamermuziek in Kralingen, hosting 5 to 6 concerts per year with musicians from around the world.
In August 2015, Harimada returned to Indonesia, yet remained active in performing both in Indonesia and Europe. In addition to his work as a chamber musician, he has performed as a soloist with the Jakarta Conservatory Chamber Orchestra, Eliata Chamber Orchestra, and Jakarta City Philharmonic Orchestra, under conductors such as Iswargia R. Sudarno, Michael Budiman Mulyadi, Budi Utomo Prabowo, and Suthipong Tantivanichkij. He frequently collaborates with prominent classical musicians in Indonesia and performs with the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra and as an accompanist for the Jakarta Oratorio Society, led by conductor Eunice Tong. Currently, Harimada is a piano instructor at the Jakarta Conservatory of Music, Yayasan Pendidikan Musik School of Music, and Musicorum Foundation School of Music.