by Jo Hilder | Jun 12, 2025 | 2025, Events
Saturday 11 October 2025, 6pm - at the Aldersgate Centre in central Christchurch A major event to celebrate 30 years since Elaine Dobson oversaw the commissioning of a gong kebyar gamelan set from Bali and its arrival at the University of Canterbury on Christmas Day, 1995! Performances of music, dance and wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) from Javanese gamelan ensembles from Wellington and Dunedin, and from Balinese gong kebyar ensembles from Wellington and of course, the UC Gamelan. Facebook...
by Jo Hilder | Dec 7, 2024 | Events
Read the review. An album of compositions composed for The First Smile was released on 18 December 2024 by Rattle Records. The First Smile is the gamelan brought to Aotearoa 50 years ago by Allan Thomas from Cirebon in West Java. It was the foundation of the gamelan community in Wellington, underpinning the later development of Central Javanese and Balinese gamelan as Gamelan Wellington. This beautifully performed, recorded and presented album testifies to the vision and legacy of Allan Thomas and the commitment his partner Jennifer Shennan and members of The First Smile to keeping the flame alive. The album features works by Anton Killin, Lou Harrison, David Farquhar, Chris Francis, Alison Isadora, and Gerard Crewdson. Also featured are two traditional compositions (Sinjang Kirut , or ‘crumpled sarong’, and Kasturun, traditionally used as accompaniment to female court dancers). Recorded and mixed by Warwick Donald Mastered by Thomas Arbor Design by UnkleFranc Printed by Studio Q Founding director: Dr Allan Thomas Patron: Dr Joko Susilo Players: Gerard Crewdson, Chris Francis, Rosalind Jiko, Helen Lowe, Hui Luo, Barbara Lyon, Keith McEwing, Jennifer Shennan This project was made possible with generous support from the Lilburn Trust, without whom the recording would not have been possible. The First Smile respectfully acknowledges Allan Thomas, Jack Body, Paramita Abdurachman, Yusuf Dendabrata, Richard North, Jonathan Engel at SOUNZ, Daniel Beban, John Casey, UnkleFranc Design, and Steve Garden at Rattle...
by Jo Hilder | Aug 22, 2021 | 2021, Events
Announcing a significant new book about I Wayan Gde Yudane, a prominent Balinese composer linked to New Zealand. Robyn Yuwell has penned this book based on interviews with Yudane and research. We were fortunate to have held an in-person event to launch this book on the 8th of August 2021 at the Long Hall in Roseneath. This event featured compositions by local musicians performed by The First Smile gamelan and a performance of Topeng Tua by Yudane (with skeletal accompaniment on the Cirebon gamelan). Readings of book excerpts by Jennifer Shennan and by Robyn showcased the poetic nature of much of the writing. Yudane and daughter, Delisia, accompanied Robyn’s reading with subtle improvised music – the words and sounds together evoking scenes from Yudane’s childhood and the Balinese world. Some responses: The book is highly unusual…and brilliant. – Jennifer Shennan ...captures Yudane’s voice really clearly … it’s like he’s right there in the room with you. An entertaining and interesting life story worth finding out more about. – Rupert Snook The book is available as an e-book from: Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/ Hard copies are available from: SOUNZ (Centre for New Zealand Music Toi te Arapūoro) Shrödinger’s Books (Petone, Wellington, NZ) Ganesha Bookshop (Ubud, Bali) Images of Yudane performing Topeng Tua at the book launch at the Long Hall, 8 August...
