Gamelan is a traditional Indonesian percussion orchestra consisting mainly of bronze instruments. The document discusses two styles of gamelan - from Central Java and Bali - that are housed and taught at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM). Courses provide students with performance skills and cultural understanding of both styles. NZSM also maintains two permanent gamelan ensembles that regularly perform and collaborate with visiting Indonesian musicians.
Gamelan is a traditional Indonesian percussion orchestra consisting mainly of bronze instruments. The document discusses two styles of gamelan - from Central Java and Bali - that are housed and taught at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM). Courses provide students with performance skills and cultural understanding of both styles. NZSM also maintains two permanent gamelan ensembles that regularly perform and collaborate with visiting Indonesian musicians.
Gamelan is a traditional Indonesian percussion orchestra consisting mainly of bronze instruments. The document discusses two styles of gamelan - from Central Java and Bali - that are housed and taught at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM). Courses provide students with performance skills and cultural understanding of both styles. NZSM also maintains two permanent gamelan ensembles that regularly perform and collaborate with visiting Indonesian musicians.
Gamelan is a traditional Indonesian percussion orchestra consisting mainly of bronze instruments. The document discusses two styles of gamelan - from Central Java and Bali - that are housed and taught at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM). Courses provide students with performance skills and cultural understanding of both styles. NZSM also maintains two permanent gamelan ensembles that regularly perform and collaborate with visiting Indonesian musicians.
is
an
Indonesian
"gong
orchestra",
consisting
mainly
of
bronze
percussion.
Each
gamelan
is
designed,
built
and
tuned
as
an
integrated
ensemble,
with
its
own
unique
"sound".
Although
there
are
many
styles
of
gamelan,
the
two
most
well-known
are
the
gamelan
of
Central
Java
and
the
Gong
Kebyar
of
Bali.
The
NZSM
houses
both
of
these
ensembles.
NZSM
courses
in
gamelan,
both
Javanese
and
Balinese,
provide
students
with
basic
performance
skills
in
both
styles
of
gamelan,
and
an
insight
into
the
aesthetic
and
structure
of
the
music.
Individual
specialised
study
of
particular
instruments
is
also
available.
Further
experience
may
be
gained
by
joining
one
or
other
of
the
permanent
ensembles,
Gamelan
Padhang
Moncar
and
Gamelan
Taniwha
Jaya.
Many
gamelan
players
also
take
advantage
of
Indonesian
government
scholarships
to
further
their
studies
in
Indonesia
for
periods
of
up
to
two
years.
Gamelan
has
been
played
at
Victoria
University
since
1975.
The
first
set
of
instruments
was
a
village
gamelan
from
Cirebon
(north
Java),
purchased
by
Allan
Thomas.
In
1980
a
Javanese
set
(pelog)
was
given
on
permanent
loan
by
the
Indonesian
Embassy,
and
in
the
mid-80s
the
university
purchased
a
matching
set
of
slendro
instruments.
25
years
of
gamelan
in
NZ
was
celebrated
in
2000
with
BEAT,
an
International
Gamelan
Festival,
with
guest
groups
from
Indonesia,
the
US,
Australia,
Singapore
and
from
elsewhere
in
New
Zealand.
Gamelan
Padhang
Moncar
plays
traditional
Javanese
repertoire.
Over
the
years
the
Indonesian
Embassy
has
provided
a
succession
of
expert
teachers:
Midiyanto,
Joko
Sutrisno
and
currently
Budi
Putra.
Among
its
many
projects
the
group
collaborated
in
2003
with
celebrated
Indonesian
diva
Waljinah
and
her
7-person
krocong
orchestra,
and
in
2004
accompanied
Didik
Nini
Thowok,
cross-gender
dancer
from
Yogya,
in
a
programme
called
"A
Night
to
Remember".
In
2003
New
Zealand
composer
Gareth
Farr
purchased
a
Balinese
Gong
Kebyar,
which
he
named
Gamelan
Taniwha
Jaya,
and
which
is
also
housed
at
the
NZ
School
of
Music.
I
Wayan
Gde
Yudane,
a
leading
Balinese
composer,
directs
this
ensemble,
teaching
basic
skills,
traditional
repertoire
and
also
composing
new
repertoire.
NZSM
students
now
have
the
opportunity
to
experience
the
sound
worlds
and
repertoire
of
two
contrasting
gamelan
traditions.
Gamelan
activities
and
performances
are
numerous
and
varied,
including
accompanying
wayang
kulit
performances
by
dalang
(puppeteer)
Joko
Susilo.
The
gamelan
members
have
made
three
short
study
tours
to
Indonesia,
most
recently
in
2007.
Composers
from
the
NZSM
as
well
as
international
guests
such
as
Lou
Harrison,
Jody
Diamond,
Wayan
Yudane,
Wayan
Sadra,
Dody
Ekagustdiman
and
Irwansyah
Harap
have
created
new
compositions
for
the
gamelan.
In
2004
both
Javanese
and
Balinese
gamelan
contributed
to
Vita
Brevis,
a
collaboration
with
the
choir
of
St
Mary
of
the
Angels,
and
three
vocalists
from
Indonesia:
Ngoman
Sukerta,
Muriah
Budiarti,
and
male
soprano
Suyarto.
In
2008
both
gamelan
performed
with
Balinese
dancer/musician
Nyoman
Sukerta
and
three
local
actors
in
a
cross-cultural
interpretation
of
Shakespeare's
"Seven
Ages
of
Man",
a
production
that
has
been
published
as
a
DVD.
Both
gamelan
also
participated
in
"Gong
Crazy",
a
concert
of
newly
composed
works
to
mark
Jack
Body's
retirement
from
teaching
in
October
2009.
Information
about
gamelan
activities,
publications
etc
www.gamelan.org.nz
Inquiries
about
NZSM
gamelan
courses:
Brian
Diettrich
(Brian.Diettrich@nzsm.ac.nz)
Inquiries
about
Padhang
Moncar
and
Taniwha
Jaya:
Jo
Hilder
(j.hilder@xtra.co.nz)
Inquiries
about
Indonesian
scholarships:
Budi
Putra
(Budis.putra@gmail.com)