Gamelan
GAMELAN BANYU GUNUNG SALJU
Byar! This means exploding into life, bursting into flames or blossoming into flower and aptly describes the warmth, colour and excitement of the sounds of the Balinese Gamelan. The gamelan is an orchestra of gongs, metallophones, drums and flutes which provides music for religious ceremonies, dance and entertainment in Bali. It is truly a community orchestra, as in Bali where most villages have their own individual set of instruments. On Christmas Eve 1995, the School of Music took delivery of a gamelan gong kebyar - a modern set of instruments which lends itself to the performance of both traditional dances and new compositions. Most instruments are paired, with each partner being tuned microtonally apart to give the brilliance of sound and on and offbeat rhythmic patterns. The gamelan is tuned to approximately C#DEG#A. This is the only full Balinese gamelan in New Zealand and includes gender wayang and bamboo instruments.
Tingklik Trio
(1 min, mp3-944KB)
The name of the University of Canterbury's gamelan, Banyu Gunung Salju, means Water, Mountain, Snow which encapsulates the Canterbury region of the South Island. Our gamelan was built by Wayan Redana, in Klungkung and Denpasar for the University's School of Music, where it forms the focus of performance in ethnomusicology courses and an adjunct to composition and music education courses. Since 1996, the gamelan has given concerts in The Christchurch Arts Centre, the Christchurch Music Centre and Cathedral Square as well as playing for formal functions and in the Christchurch Festival of Asia. For a week in March 1999 the gamelan gave a series of lunchtime concerts and an evening performance in the BEAT International Gamelan Festival in Wellington. Banyu Gunung Salju is co-ordinated by ethnomusicologist and composer, Elaine Dobson, and is tutored by Wayan Sadra, musician and dancer.
Gamelan classes are held each Tuesday and Thursday of term time 5.30 to 7.30pm at 24 Kirkwood Ave. New performers and voluntary helpers are welcome. No previous experience is necessary. Gamelan may be taken as a University undergraduate subject (MUSI 193, 293, 393), worth 3 credit points per year (limit 12 credit points), or honours paper MUSI 466 Special Topic Gamelan Performance. In 2006, we celebrate our 10th Anniversary and we hope as many past members of the gamelan will join us for festivities in October.
Baris Jago dancers
Banyu Gunung Salju can be heard on the 2000 CDs beat! (Portal Music 1001/2)
For further information
Contact Elaine Dobson +64 3 364 2987 ext 7635
elaine.dobson@canterbury.ac.nz
Wayan Sadra comes from Peliatan in Bali. Among his teachers were Ida Bugus Rai, Made Lebah and Cok Alit Handrawan. At present he resides in Christchurch and is responsible for many of the arrangements the gamelan plays. He has performed America, Australia, Canada and Japan and tutored dance at Auckland University. In 1981 Wayan initiated the formation of a new gamelan group, Tirta Sari, which was sponsored by Anak Agung Gede Mandara, the king from the palace of Peliatan. This was so successful that within a year they were invited to tour the U.S.A. and Japan. As an independent artist Wayan Sadra enjoys interpreting traditional Balinese folklore in the colourful, masked-dance style known as Topeng. Live and televised performances in Auckland and Christchurch have met with great acclaim. He is committed to developing an understanding of Balinese culture in New Zealand and particularly the gamelan in the University of Canterbury.
Elaine Dobson is a senior lecturer in Ethnomusicology and Composition in the School of Music and is the gamelan co-ordinator. She began learning gamelan at the Dartington College Summer School, England, in 1991 from Gordon Jones. In 1995 she travelled to Bali to document the building of the instruments which now comprise our gamelan. In the same year she met Wayan Sadra at the Australian Gamelan Festival at the University of New England, Armidale, Australia. In 1997 Wayan moved to Christchurch to tutor our gamelan students.
Concerts and Repertoire
“Global Gala”. Ngaio Marsh Theatre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch. 1 June 2005
Tabuh Bebarongan, Tingklik trio.
“Red Moon”. Great Hall, The Arts Centre of Christchurch, 1 10 pm, 24 May 2005
Tektekan (kulkul), Karedock, Tabuh Telu Lambat, Three pieces for tingklik trio (Wayan Sadra), Lagu Kapal Kuning (Elaine Barkin), Gender Wayang solo (Wayan Sadra). Tabuh Bebarongan.
“Golden Baris”. Great Hall, The Arts Centre of Christchurch, 7.30pm, 30 September 2004
Mepied, Tabuh Gilak Agung, Kareock, Janger, Topeng Keras, Ancient Moon (Elaine Dobson), for gamelan, kotos (Maureen Heffernan and Insuk Lee) suling (Wayan Sadra) and Gong (Greg Armfield), Dadong Dauh, Tingklik duet, Words (Bob Berg arr. Anggawijaya Shifera), Baris Jago (Rosalie Collis, Wendy Lee, Nik Norma, Nancy Yuan – dancers)
Canterbury Philharmonia with Banyu Gunung Salju. Villa Maria High School Auditorium, Christchurch, 8 pm, 8 May 2004
Janger
“Indonesian Independence Day Celebration”. 2003
Dadong Dauh, Karedock, Topeng Tua.
“August Moon”. Great Hall, Christchurch Arts Centre, 22 Aug 2002
Mepied, Tabuh Hujan Mas, Hanamomiji (Japanese item by Shofukai), Kurokami (Japanese dance by Mitsue), Joged Bung Bung, Ancient Moon (Elaine Dobson), Gegindaman for trompong and suling (Wayan Yudane and Wayan Sadra), Kendang Batel (Wayan Yudane and Wayan Sadra), Baris (Danyarta De Jong – dancer). Visiting Guest: Wayan Yudane.
“Christchurch Arts Festival”. Telecom Pavilion, Victoria Square, Christchurch, 12.10 pm. 29 July 2002
Palawakia, Dadong Dauh, Karedock, Jauk.
Wayan Sadra
"Di Gala”, Christchurch Town Hall. 18 April 2002
Tabuh Hujan
NZASIA 14th International Conference, Christchurch (2001, November/December). 31 December 2001
Palawakia, Harunoyo (Japanese item) Karedock, Sakura, Sakura (Japanese dance item), Tingklik solo, Ancient Future for Balinese gamelan and Japanese kotos (Dobson), Jauk.
"UC Alumni Association, AGM ". Christchurch, Univ. of Canterbury Library. 5.30 pm, 7 May 2001
Palawakia, Tingklik solo, Karedock.
"Festival of Asia 2001". Great Hall, The Arts Centre of Christchurch. 1.10 pm, March 30, 2001
Mepied, Palawakia, Anniversary Music, Babonangan.
“Banyu Gunung Salju, Gamelan Music and Dance”, Great Hall. The Arts Centre of Christchurch, 1.10pm, 10 November 2000
Mepied, Palawakia, Geginaman, Tingklik solo, Topeng Keras (Wayan Sadra - dancer)
"Music of the Full moon: Music and Dance from Bali ". Great Hall, The Arts Centre of Christchurch. 7.30 pm, 14 September 2000
Mepied, Palawakia, Geginaman, Topeng Keras (Wayan Sadra – dancer), Suling solo, Tingklik solo, Janger, Jauk Manis (Nyoman Sanjuku – dancer),
“Banyu Gunung Salju, Gamelan Concert”. The Chapel, Music Centre of Christchurch. 8 pm, 18 June 1999
Gilak Dung, Karedock, Banten for trompong (Elaine Dobson), Alcoholic (Wayan Sadra), Indra Sang Guruh, (Oliver Hancock), Tabuh Jauk Durga, Anniversary Music, Dadong Dauh, Topeng Tua. (Wayan Sadra – dancer).
“BEAT International Gamelan Festival”. Ilott Concert Chamber, Wellington. "Banten for trompong". 8 pm 26 March 1999
Jauk, Dadong Dauh, Tarian Topeng, karedock, Gilak Dung, New Compositions – Banten (Elaine Dobson), Tri Murti (Leila Adu, Michael O’Dempsey, Oliver Hancock, Martin Ridgeway)
BEAT International Gamelan Festival. Queen’s Warf, Wellington. Lunchtime, 24, 25 March 1999
Gamelan Ensemble, Outdoor Stage, School of Music, University of Canterbury, Christchurch. 1.10 pm, 29 September 1998
“Music ’97” New Zealand Society for Music Education Conference Dinner. November 1997
Gilak Dung, Baris (Nyoman Sanjuku – dancer).
“Cultural Connection”, Cathedral Square, Christchurch. 1.45 pm. 5 November 1997
Gilak Dung, Baris (Nyoman Sanjuku - Dancer).
“Kajeng Kliwon”. Great Hall, The Arts Centre of Christchurch, 8 pm, 27 September 1997
Mepied, Banten for trompong, gong and ting-shas (Elaine Dobson), Babonangan, Gilak Dung, Anniversary Music tingklik solo, Baris (Nyoman Sanjuku – dancer).
“Balinese Masked Dance and Gamelan”. Great Hall, The Arts Centre of Christchurch, 10 October 1996
Mepied, Gilak Dung, Topeng Keras (Wayan Sadra - dancer), Jauk (Wayan Sadra - dancer), Baris (Nyoman Sanjuku – dancer)
“Balinese Masked Dance and Gamelan”. University of Canterbury Staff Club, Christchurch. 5.15 pm 3 October 1996
Gilak Dung, Baris.
Naming and Blessing Ceremony. 5 pm, 22 March 1996
Beating of the gamelan and Jauk (Wayan Sadra – dancer).
