gamelan in the worlds

Music Ensembles - Gamelan

Javanese gamelan In a number of Southeast Asian Studies modules (SE2221, SE2214, SE5222), students learn to play the Javanese gamelan. Playing music allows students to go beyond books and lectures, and gives them a direct, hands-on experience of Southeast Asian art, which makes learning more enjoyable and, for many, a memorable experience. Gamelan music often accompanies various forms of theatre, dance, and ceremonies, and the instruments, decorated with beautiful and symbolically rich carving, are an important element of material/visual culture. Thus learning gamelan is a way to come into direct contact with, and learn about, various aspects of culture and society. The Southeast Asian Studies Programme also manages the largest gamelan music group in Singapore, the NUS Singa Nglaras Gamelan Ensemble, which offers the opportunity for NUS students, staff, and others, to receive high quality instruction in gamelan music, and enjoy playing gamelan in informal practices. The group also perform on a variety of occasion. About Our Gamelan Set, Ki Tunjunglaras The spectacular and unusually large gamelan set, Ki Tunjunglaras (Venerable “Lotus Harmony”), owned by the Faculty, is used in teaching modules at the Southeast Asian Studies Programme, and by the NUS Singa Nglaras Gamelan Ensemble. The set has been built in the Surakarta region of Central Java between about 1998 and 2003, and comprises over 50 instruments in two tuning systems. Many of the bronze instruments are larger than average size, giving the set an especially rich and powerful sound, and the number of some instruments is also more than average. The wooden parts of the instruments are carved and painted in black and dark red and decorated with gold leaf. About Gamelan Music The Javanese gamelan is the largest member of a family of Southeast Asian musical ensembles, and its beautiful music is one of the most complex in the world. A skeletal melody which can progress at different speeds is punctuated at regular intervals by the large gong, and the resulting gong cycle is regularly subdivided into increasingly smaller sub-cycles by a variety of smaller gongs. Apart from the skeletal melody and the punctuating gongs, there are a variety of instrumental and vocal parts that provide the “flesh” and create a complex musical texture that is characteristic of gamelan music. They move at varying ratio in relation to the skeletal melody: for example, an instrument may be playing 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 strokes per one stroke of the skeletal melody. The drummer controls tempo changes and drum strokes and patterns closely interact with dance or puppet movements. The music from Central Java traditionally accompanies ceremonies and dance and shadow puppet theatre performances, and it is also played by itself at informal performances qua practices for enjoyment. The NUS Singa Nglaras Gamelan Ensemble The NUS Singa Nglaras Gamelan Ensemble was formed in January 2004. It is managed by the Southeast Asian Studies Programme. Its members are NUS students, professors as well as friends from outside of the university. Dr. Jan Mrázek is the musical director. Singa Nglaras means “relaxing lion” (the word “nglaras” means both to “relax” and “to harmonise, tune”). The Ensemble’s primary motivation is the relaxed enjoyment and appreciation of gamelan music. While the group takes relaxing seriously, they also believe that they can enjoy gamelan music more, appreciate it better, and ultimately enjoy themselves better, if they continue learning and delving into the more intricate aspects of gamelan music, and play more complex and “larger” musical compositions. The Ensemble also plays music for accompaniment of dance and theatre. A Javanese dancer, Nunuk Sri Rahayu, regularly performs with the ensemble, and we frequently invite guest musicians, dancers, and puppeteers from Indonesia.. Weekly group rehearsals are the group’s main activity, while occasional performances allow the group to share some of their gamelan-ing pleasure with others. All NUS students are encouraged to join – no previous musical experience is necessary (training will be provided), and it is free of charge! The only requirement is a commitment to attend the weekly rehearsals regularly (Wednesday evenings). Students become members of the Gamelan Student Society. NUS students or staff interested in joining playing gamelan, please contact Dr Jan Mrázek at seajm@nus.edu.sg .