- GONG! The Gamelan Festival, SFU Woodward's Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre May 18-20. Gamelan Gita Asmara, May 18 - 19, 8 p.m. Contemporary Music for Javanese and Sundanese Gamelan May 20, 8 p.m. Tickets $15/$12 available at Banyen and Highlife or online at www.sfuwoodwards.ca.
WHAT'S the difference between Javanese, Balinese and Sundanese gamelan ensembles? We could go through endless forensic contests on the subject but you can find out for yourself at the second annual GONG! The Gamelan Festival set for this weekend at SFU Woodward's Downtown.
Long story short: All three cultural traditions come from similar musical roots but over time they have developed their own specific sonic identities. Compared to the often raucous, percussive metallic attack of Balinese ensembles, Javanese gamelans move at a softer, slower pace. Sundanese gamelan ensembles have a different take again on the tradition, employing more vocals and different instrumentation from that heard in the neighbouring Indonesian ensembles.
Tonight and tomorrow night Gamelan Gita Asmara, a UBC-based ensemble of 25 musicians and five dancers will perform traditional and contemporary Balinese music on stage at the Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre. Works include, "Tabuh Pisan Bhaskara," a new piece by musical director I Wayan Sudirana, based on an ancient sacred melody used in temple rituals with guest musician I Dewa Made Supartha featured on the trompong (gong-row).
The dance portion of the concerts will include the classical suite Legong Kuntul, showcasing guest dancers Keiko Ninomiya, and, direct from Bali for the first time, 14-year old Ni Putu Suci Pramesti.
A pre-show talk on the music is scheduled for 7: 15 p.m. and Indonesian food, courtesy of the Sweet Chili Restaurant, will be on sale starting at 6: 30 p.m.
On Sunday, May 20 the final day of the GONG! fest Gamelan Alligator Joy (a gamelan gadhon chamber ensemble) and Vancouver Community College's Gamelan Si Pawit will present Contemporary Music for Javanese and Sundanese Gamelan with choreography by Henry Daniel, performed by his troupe Full Performing Bodies.
Each gamelan will present original compositions by prominent composers from their group. Sutrisno Hartana is creating a new work for Gamelan Alligator Joy, while Mark Parlett and Michael O'Neill are arranging and expanding works that were premiered last year by SFU's Gamelan Madu Sari for the different tuning and instrumentation of Gamelan Alligator Joy. O'Neill's 20-minute work "Beledrone", combining his interest in gamelan and highland pipes, features two pipers as well as vocalists. Also, marking the centenary of John Cage's birth, Gamelan Si Pawit will perform Cage's "Haikai," originally commissioned in the 1980s by Jon Siddall for Toronto's Evergreen Club Gamelan.
There are also workshops scheduled at the festival with the sessions open to all levels of participant: a Gamelan Music Workshop is set for Saturday, May 19, from 4: 30 to 6 p.m. and a Balinese Dance Workshop will be held on Sunday, May 20, from 4: 30 to 6 p.m. in Studio T at SFU Woodward's. To preregister call Meris at 778-772-1121. Cost is by donation (suggested $5-$10).
