After growing up in Indonesia, Henry Pranato ’06 came to the USA to study music at Cairn. He graduated with a BMus and BS in Bible in 2006 under the tutelage of notable professors like Dr. Hsu, Kenneth Borrmann, Robin Massie, and Dr. Shockey. “[These professors] taught me not only how to be a great musician but also inspired me to be a great person and a humble servant of Christ,” Henry explains.
Following Cairn, Henry received an MMus in Sacred Music at Westminster Choir College in 2008, and then earned his PhD in Music Education, specializing in choral conducting, from Florida State University in 2018. Now music has brought Henry back to Indonesia at Pelita Harapan University. There, Henry serves as the chief coordinator of the music education and choral departments. Beyond teaching, his academic pursuits continue in his research of Indonesian music. Henry recently presented his findings on the music of the Baduy tribe at the latest meeting of the International Musicological Society of East Asia (IMSEA); a venture that took him to Soochow University in China.
Outside academia, Henry spends time with his wife, Christy, and their young daughter, Zephaniah. He has greatly enjoyed where his pursuit of music has taken him, saying, “I hope God will grant me more opportunities and time to be a blessing to other people whom I meet all over the world, especially for the people in Indonesia.”