by Gamelan Admin | Jun 21, 2014 | 2014, Highlights GPM
Winter Wayang was a mini-festival of Javanese shadow puppetry to celebrate Jack Body‘s 70th year and 40 years of gamelan in New Zealand. For a week in June 2014, Wellington was alive with Javanese shadow puppetry - four shows in two schools of a special Tiger Show by Joko Susilo and Megan Collins, plus workshops in a school and a kindergarten. In conjunction with this, the Film Archive screened a film about Jack Body exploring music in China – Big Nose and Body Music. And then there were the weekend shows!: Semar Sang Pamomong - “Semar, the wise advisor” (New wayang sandosa) Wayang Kulit with Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Joko Susilo Saturday 21 June, 6pm Adam Concert Room, NZ School of Music Gamelan Padhang Moncar collaborated with Joko Susilo to present this newly created show. We dedicated the performance to Jack Body who has championed Indonesian music in New Zealand for the past forty years. In the narrative we likened Jack to the Javanese mythical guru called Semar. Both are mentors with vision and courage who lead by example, sharing their wisdom with generosity and love. Featuring music by Budi S. Putra, Briar Prastiti, Tristan Carter, Jack Hooker and Jason Erskine Script based on a traditional story Budi S. Putra and Greg Street Puppeteers: Joko Susilo, Budi Putra and Anna Bailey Narration/dialogue by Megan Collins, Tristan Carter, Greg Street, Joko Susilo, Budi S. Putra and Rupert Snook Music performed by Gamelan Padhang Moncar: Stephanie Cairns, Megan Collins, Jason Erskine, Carina Esguerra, Judith Exley, Jo Hilder, Alisa Hogan, Jack Hooker, Mike Jones, Annika Naschitzki, Helen O’Rourke, Briar Prastiti, Rupert Snook, Naila...
by Jo Hilder | Jul 1, 2013 | 2013, Highlights GPM, Highlights GTJ
1-21 July 2013 Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya toured Indonesia presenting new works by Gareth Farr, Briar Prastiti, Jason Erskine, Anton Killin, Jack Hooker, Tristan Carter, Megan Collins and Annika Naschitski. Listen to Jack Body and Gareth Farr talking about the tour on Radio New Zealand Concert. We performed a programme of new compositions at the Yogyakarta International Gamelan Festival (Sunday 7 July). We also participated in a number of joint concerts at schools and universities in Yogya, Solo and Malang, and performed at the Car-Free Day in Solo on Sunday 14 July. Gamelan Taniwha Jaya debuted in Bali at Bentara Budaya Bali on Thursday 18 July performing new compositions for Balinese Gong Kebyar in a joint concert with Gamelan Gita Asmara (from Canada) and Wrdhi Swaram and Salukat (from Bali). The tour was led by Budi Putra (our director) and Jack Body (our manager). Itinerary: Tues 2 July - Gamelan Padhang Moncar Concert - Anjungan Jawa Tengah, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah 1pm-2:30pm Sat 6 July - Gamelan Padhang Moncar Joint concert - Universitas Gajah Mada, Yogyakarta, 1-3pm Sun 7 July - Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya concert at Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival (evening) Wed 10 July - Gamelan Padhang Moncar Joint concert - SMPN 10 Solo (intermediate school) - 8-10pm Thur 11 July - Gamelan Padhang Moncar Joint concert - SMKN (Arts high school), Solo - 8-10pm Sun 14 July - Gamelan Padhang Moncar Concert at Car Free Day, Slamet Riyadi, Solo (early morning) Mon 15 July - Gamelan Padhang Moncar Joint concert with University of Malang at UNIBRAW (evening), Malang Thur 18 July -...
by Jo Hilder | Nov 24, 2013 | Highlights GPM
The sound crew from ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ sought us out in late 2013 to record some elements that were included in the soundtrack. Check out the ‘behind the scenes’ footage at about 7 minutes in to this production diary...
by Jo Hilder | Mar 16, 2012 | 2012, Highlights GPM
16-18 March Gamelan performers from Wellington had a strong presence at WOMAD 2012 in New Plymouth with three shows presenting music from Java, Bali and Sumatra. Read an account here on the NZSM website. Wayang Kulit at WOMAD 2003 (Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Joko Susilo) at WOMAD (Photo: Dominika Zielinska) Joko Susilo and Megan Collins – Tiger Show Wayang Kulit (shadow puppetry) with Pak Joko Susilo Saturday 17 March on the Shell Gables Stage GPM Performers: Budi Putra (kendhang), Jo Hilder (gender barung), Greg Street (rebab, gender panerus), Jason Erskine (slenthem), Rupert Snook and Clare Tattersall (demung), Stephanie Cairns, Helen O’Rourke and Tristan Carter (saron), Judith Exley (saron panerus), Marie Direen (bonang barung), Jack Hooker (bonang panerus), Mike Jones (kenong), Alisa Hogan (kethuk), Pippa Strom and Carina Esguerra (gong, kempul), Juliet Palmer, Briar Prastiti and Annika Naschitzki (gerong/sindhen), Anton Killin (gambang) Minuit with Gamelan Taniwha Jaya Sunday 18 March on the Shell Gables Stage This new collaboration featured some of Minuit’s best-known songs with Balinese gamelan parts added by Jason Erskine. For more information, see here or listen here. GTJ performers: Rupert Snook, Anton Killin, Jacqui Stowers and Jack Hooker (gangsas); Jason Erskine, Gareth Farr, Jo Hilder and Tristan Carter (reyong); Briar Prastiti and Mike Jones (jublag); Carina Esguerra (gongs); Clare Tattersall (kempli); James Rolfe (ceng-ceng) “Kaba Iniak Mudo” Sumatran/Javanese tiger puppet show Saturday & Sunday 17 & 18 March in the Kidzone Joko Susilo (dalang) and Megan Collins (kaba, rabab pasisia, saluang, drums) with Bronwyn Poultney on Javanese genderand drums. We also had fun participating in the WOMAD parade. Thanks to the NZ School...
by Jo Hilder | Oct 3, 2009 | 2009, Highlights GPM, Highlights GTJ
October 3 & 4, 2009, 8.00pm Adam Concert Room, NZ School of Music, Kelburn Campus $25/$15 concession Gamelan Padhang Moncar (Java) and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya ( Bali ) presented a programme selected by Jack Body to celebrate his 30 years of teaching at Victoria University/NZSchool of Music. This concert of new music was for gamelan in combination with an assortment of wonderful and rarely heard instruments including the sheng (Chinese mouth organ) and hasapi (Indonesian lute), as well as traditional Western classical instruments. Listen to Jack Body talking about the difference between sound and music, upcoming gamelan concerts and his approach to his work (27 Sep 2009). Read a review of these concerts. Guest artists included: Wang Zheng-Ting (China/Australia) - Chinese sheng (mouth organ) Irwansyah Harahap ( Indonesia ) - Indonesian gambus (lute) Rithaony Hutajulu ( Indonesia ) - vocal NZ String Quartet John Rae (percussion) Richard Nunns, Alistair Fraser (taonga puoro) Tevita Katoa, George Upu (percussion) Featuring newly composed works by: Jack Body and Wayan Yudane: A House in Bali (string quartet & Balinese gamelan, and narrator) Helen Bowater: Sun Wu Kong -Monkey (Javanese gamelan, string quartet, sheng, singers(s), rebab, frog toys) Irwansjah Harahap: Born (string quartet, sheng, clarinet, marimba, hasapi etc) John Psathas: waiting : still (Balinese musician & piano) Ross Harris: Enteng - light, easy (Balinese & Javanese gamelan) Gareth Farr: The Seventh Age (Balinese gamelan, viola and sheng) Leon DeLorenzo: Melangkah dan Melangkah (electroacoustic and masked actor) David Sanders: Wire, Bronze and Spokes (Balinese and Javanese gamelan and ‘prepared’ spinning wheel) Megan Collins: Mata (taonga puoro, rabab pasisia, saluang, percussion & gongs) Andrzej Nowicki: Abstand...
by Jo Hilder | Mar 24, 2015 | Highlights GPM, Highlights GTJ
Celebrated transgender dancer Didik Nini Thowok has performed with us twice in New Zealand as well as in Indonesia at the 2007 Yoygakarta Gamelan Festival. Te Papa’s 10th Anniversary, 2008 At Te Papa, Didik performed traditional Javanese and Balinese dance, with live music from Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya. He also danced the Maori story of Rona e te Marama (‘Rona and the Moon’) to music by Gareth Farr for both gamelan combined. This work had premiered at the 2007 Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival. Didik was joined in a newly choreographed Balinese dance by Evie Suyadnyani, a dancer visiting from Bali. They danced exquisitely to music composed especially for them by I Wayan Gde Yudane. A Night to Remember, 2004 Didik was joined in by cross-dressing Gareth Farr (Lilith La Croix) for an outrageous evening of dance and music from both Java and Bali, with a bit of flamenco thrown in. Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya combined forces for this one-off event in May 2004 which played to a capacity audience at Soundings Theatre in Te Papa. Night of contrasts a venerable delight WHAT: A Night to Remember WHERE: Soundings Theatre, Te Papa, Sunday REVIEWED BY: Jennifer Shennan A NIGHT to Remember was a cross-over programme of dance and music, including gamelan orchestras in both Javanese and Balinese styles. There were two male performers in female roles, court dances freed from tradition then camped up cabaret fashion, and characters in comic routines. A capacity audience delighted in these contrasting elements, the programme presented by Jack Body. Didik Nini Thowok, from Indonesia, is a celebrated dancer specialising in female roles. The opening Javanese dance,...
by Jo Hilder | Oct 4, 2008 | 2008, Highlights GPM, Highlights GTJ
Cross-cultural multi-media music-theatre 4-5 October, 2008 Adam Concert Room, Victoria University of Wellington (Kelburn Campus) Acclaimed master of Balinese masked dance, I NYOMAN SUKERTA combined with local artists to reinterpret Shakespeare’s famous text. This new collaboration between NZ and Indonesian artists was a hugely entertaining, sometimes startling, reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s view of human life. Mixing multi-lingual declamation, exotic vocal styles, physical theatre and gamelan percussion this production transcended the many boundaries of time and place, language and culture. Shakespeare was never more universal than this! All the world’s a stage…. Hear more about the show on Radio New Zealand’s Upbeat, where Eva Radich talked to Jack Body and Nyoman Sukerta. The infant The schoolboy The lover The soldier The justice The lean and slippered pantaloon The final phase All photos by Robert Catto /robertcatto.com. Full photo gallery here. DVD available on request. Featuring: Gamelan Padhang Moncar Gamelan Taniwha Jaya a specially formed Randai group Tristan Carter (electric violin) Helen Bowater, Christine White (vocals) Megan Collins (rabab pasisia, vocals) and Graduates of the Wellington Performing Arts Centre: Salesi Le’ota Deborah Rea Jessica Aaltonen Gamelan Performers: Budi S. Putra (dir Gamelan Padhang Moncar); I Wayan Gde Yudane (dir Gamelan Taniwha Jaya); Helen Bowater; Marie Direen; Judith Exley; Gareth Farr; Beth Goodwin; Jo Hilder; Mike Jones; Anton Killin; Kylie Nesbit; Catherine Robertshawe; Richard Robertshawe; Lyndee Jane Rutherford; Greg Street; Pippa Strom; Svenda Strom Randai Performers: Jessica Aaltonen, Megan Collins, Salisi Le’ota, Leutu Matautia, Bronwyn Poultney, Yono Soekarno Music by: Gareth Farr, Wayan Yudane, Budi Putra Producer: Jack Body Director: Lilicherie McGregor Lighting: Thomas Press Guest artist: I Nyoman Sukerta (Bali) Sponsors: The NZ School of Music Asia:NZ Foundation Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia...
by Jo Hilder | Jul 1, 2007 | Highlights GPM, Highlights GTJ
In July 2007, Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya travelled to Yogyakarta, Java for our second appearance at the Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival. We brought a full programme of brand new works by New Zealand composers for both Javanese and Balinese gamelan, many incorporating clarinet, baritone saxophone and flute. We were joined in performance by guest Indonesian artists we have previously performed with – kroncong diva Waldjinah, and transgender dancer Didik Nini Thowok. Waldjinah performed the old favourite “Denpasar Moon” with gamelan accompaniment arranged by Gareth Farr – to great acclaim by an enthusiastic audience. Didik danced the traditional Maori story of “Rona and the moon” to music composed by Gareth for both Javanese and Balinese gamelan combined. A highlight of the concert was the appearance of another guest – Slamet Gundono who improvised over a classic Javanese lancaran, ‘Singa Neba’, in which our clarinetist Andrzej Nowicki interacted first with Waldjinah singing a traditional song, and then with the truly amazing Gundono whose powerful vocals incorporated a wide range of influences. Our treatment of the piece transformed it from Singa Neba(pouncing lion) to Singa Edan (crazy lion). Another audience favourite was Jack Body‘s arrangement of a number of Polish Dances for Javanese gamelan and two clarinets and baritone sax. The work of I Wayan Gde Yudane featured strongly – a new work for Javanese gamelan and winds featured angular melodic lines and interesting twists on traditional Javanese forms, while his work for Balinese gamelan featured complex rhythms and a western flute. Other works were by Chris Watson, Judith Exley, Budi Putra and Anton Killin. Compositions for this festival appearance...
by Jo Hilder | Nov 20, 2005 | Highlights GPM
A compelling Inter-Cultural Meditation on Life’s Brevity for Voices, Gamelan & Dance To remember those who died before their time, particularly the victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami. 20 November 2005 Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya combined with the choir of St Mary of the Angels, and three guest vocalists from Indonesia (Nyoman Sukerta, Muriah Budiarti, and male soprano Suyarto), to present this concert. Traditional Javanese music was interspersed with plainsong arrangements by Jack Body, compositions by Gareth Farr and I Wayan Gde Yudane, and Shen Nalin’s Wan Ge (Elegy), a setting of a poem by Tao Yuanming that Jack loved. Nalin’s piece was dedicated to Jack and is reproduced below. I Nyoman Sukerta also performed Topeng Tua (a traditional Balinese masked dance) accompanied by Gamelan Taniwha Jaya. “the setting by Wayan Yudane of a poem by I Ketut Juliarsi called A Drop of Water at the Edge of a Leaf, [was] performed with striking authenticity by a fine assembly of Indonesian singers, gamelan (orchestra) and gamelan choir…. Dancer Nyoman Sukerta’s revelatory performance of the Balinese Dance of an Old Man, however, took us convincingly into another realm, self-explanatory and universal in its meaning.” Lindis Taylor, Dominion Post, November 18, 2005 Elegy If there is life there must be death, Early or late, there is no hurrying fate. Yesterday evening we were people together, Today at dawn we are listed among the ghosts. The breath of the soul, where has it gone? A dried-up shape is left in hollow wood. My beloved children snivel, looking for their father, My best friends mourn by the coffin, weeping. Winning,...
by Jo Hilder | Oct 13, 2003 | Highlights GPM
In October 2003, Gamelan Padhang Moncar collaborated with the Indonesian kroncong diva, Waldjinah, and her kroncong ensemble, Bintang Surakarta, to present an evening of gamelan and jazz at the 7th Wellington International Jazz Festival. Trio Fracas (a saxophone trio comprising Blair Latham, Nils Olsen and Anton Wuts) also joined us for arrangements of Indonesian songs by local composers for gamelan, saxophones, kroncong orchestra and voice. Radio NZ Concert later broadcast a recording of the concert. Our CD, Campur Sari, contains studio...
by Jo Hilder | Jul 11, 2002 | Highlights GPM
27 June - 16 July Gamelan Padhang Moncar‘s second tour to Indonesia included the group’s first appearance at the Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival, performing three times at the festival and also at Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia (the tertiary performing arts institute) in the nearby city of Surakarta. The group presented new works by I Wayan Gde Yudane, Leila Adu-Gilmore, Judith Exley, Megan Collins, Jane Hebberd, Leon De Lorenzo, Katie Lissette, Sue Street and Mike Jones. Sue and Mike’s work incorporated wayang figures of native birds of Aotearoa created especially for this show. A particularly special performance was a part of the traditional Javanese wedding ceremony of one of our members to his Javanese fiance. The group also spent a week in Bali attending local performances at the Bali Arts Festival and participating in workshops in Gamelan Semarandana and Selonding. Acknowledgements: Gamelan Padhang Moncar acknowledges the following institutions for their support of this tour: Asia 2000 Foundation (now Asia NZ Foundation) Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka (Vice-Chancellor’s Fund & NZ School of Music) Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia, Wellington New Zealand Indonesia...
by Jo Hilder | Mar 21, 1999 | Highlights GPM
In 1999, we celebrated 25 years of gamelan in New Zealand with an international gamelan festival which featured guests from the US, Netherlands, Australia, Singapore and Indonesia. The week included performances of traditional and new gamelan music and a programme of seminars, including a keynote lecture by Pak Hardjo Susilo. A CD of highlights was produced. “A fusion of the exotic, traditional, and contemporary, all woven into … sublime music-making from the Victoria University’s Gamelan Padhang Moncar group, beginning in fine festive style Wellington’s International Gamelan Festival.” Michael Heath, City Voice, March 25 1999 Gongs and chimes transcend cultures What: International Gamelan Festival. Gamelan ensembles, dancers, puppeteers, individual performers and composers in Indonesian traditions Where: llott Concert Chamber, Bats Theatre (evenings), Queens Wharf and Majestic Centre (lunch times) Reviewed by: Lindis Taylor Jack Body and Allan Thomas, ethnomusicologists teaching at Victoria University School of Music, are mainly responsible for staging what must be the largest international festival of gamelan and other Indonesian music, puppetry and dance ever presented in New Zealand. It also serves to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the university’s resident Gamelan Padhang Moncar. The Wellington ensemble (“gamelan” refers to the suite of instruments as well as to the body of instruments plus their players) has given music students over that period an important practical perspective on non-Western music. That has challenged the barrier between “classical”, “serious”, “fine” music (all pejorative terms) and various kinds of popular music, for these distinctions are harder to apply to non-Western music. The festival programme lists 23 groups or individuals, from New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, other South-East Asian countries and the United...
by Jo Hilder | Dec 18, 1993 | Highlights GPM
Our first group tour to Indonesia was from December 1993 to January 1994 when the Gamelan Padhang Moncar spent six weeks in Java and Bali, led by Joko Sutrisno and Jack Body. Traveling eastwards overland from Jakarta, the group stopped at cultural and historic centers to experience the culture from which gamelan originated. Along the way we experienced all manner of social and cultural experiences, broadening our horizons and refreshing our way of seeing things. We were also lucky enough to catch performances, including: trance dance in Cirebon, an anklung village in Bandung, the Do-Lalak in Porworejo, lightbulb eating Reog Ponegoro in Surabaya, not to mention the more classical Klenengan, Wayang Kulit, Wayang Wong and Kethoprak in Central Java. We were also involved in performances and media broadcasts, including numerous TV appearances and a radio broadcast. There was quite some interest in there being a group of potato looking bules playing traditional music. First Indonesia tour programme 1994 Indonesian Tour Group Joko Sutrisno and Jack Body interviewed on TVRI,...
