Balinese directors I Nyoman Saptanyana and Ida Ayu Ari Candrawati. Our gamelan is graciously housed by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia.
..............New Release on Tzadik.............. Ikue Mori's Bhima Swarga---Bhima Swarga is a fascinating film project from one of the most creative electronic musicians around. Delightfully animating traditional paintings from the Kertha Gosa temple ceiling in Bali, Mori depicts the journey of the soul from hell to heaven in two versions: one scored using her signature laptop electronics and one scored by Matt Welch, featuring a full gamelan ensemble augmented by Ikue's electronics and Welch on saxophone and percussion. A spectacular audiovisual presentation for all ages(John Zorn)......... Personnel: Ikue Mori: Electronics/ Gamelan Dharma Swara: Matthew Welch/ Lela Chapman/ Tomoko Deguchi/ Eric Hung/ Travis Jiorle/ Putu Bagus Khrisna Saptanyana/ Elizabeth Leininger/ Andrew McGraw/ Willa Roberts/ Christopher Romero/ I Nyoman Saptanyana/
Gamelan Dharma Swara, under the direction of master Balinese artists, studies and performs traditional and new works for Balinese gamelan ensemble. Through performance and education, we bring Balinese gamelan to the widest audience and participant base possible, and we endeavor to perform with spirit, dedication and gratitude.
Under the direction of our Balinese directors I Nyoman Saptanyana and Ida Ayu Ari Candrawati, we study, perform, and teach the music and dance of Bali in New York City and surrounding areas. Existing members of about 20 individuals come from a variety of academic, professional, and artistic backgrounds. Rehearsals, which are 1-2 times a week, are open to the public, and we also teach basic beginners classes and hold workshops.
The unique Balinese and Javanese gamelan orchestras, characterized by tuned gongs, developed sometime between 9th to 15th centuries when Central and Eastern Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empires expanded their cultural influence throughout present-day Southeast Asia. Today, instruments similar to those of the gamelan are found throughout the region. As in many areas of Southeast Asia, traditional Balinese theater and dance involves enactments of Indian Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Javanese legends such as the Panji tales as well as a number of local legends.
Balinese lore maintains that, as the population of Central Java increasingly came under the influence of Islam between the 14th-16th centuries, large numbers of Hindus (primarily, it is said, from the noble ranks and including many artists) retreated to Hindu Bali bringing with them early forms of gamelan and dance styles. Today, the musical landscape of Bali, an extremely small, volcanic island in Indonesia, is incredibly dense. Much like Darwin’s famed finches, the few ancient ensembles and dance styles quickly evolved into an almost bewildering number of distinct and uniquely Balinese forms. Dharma Swara studies a variety of these forms, from ancient dances once performed to entertain the rajas in their palaces, to the loud and virtuosic repertoire of the contemporary kebyar ensemble and experimental seven-tone works performed on the newly created gamelan semara dana.
The phenomenon is tunable in that the characteristic sounds and intensities of those sounds depend on the characteristics of the RF energy as delivered... Because the frequency of the sound heard is dependent on the pulse characteristics of the RF energy, it seems possible that this technology could be developed to the point where words could be transmitted to be heard like the spoken word, except that it could only be heard within a person..s head. In one experiment, communication of the words from one to ten using ..speech modulated.. microwave energy was successfully demonstrated. Microphones next to the person experiencing the voice could not pick up these sounds.
Hey GSJ looking for a Big House to keep the Gamelan, are you guys have one? let us know,nice to have you guys,on myspace, say hi to all for us, take care have nice weekend.
Just wanted to let you know that we have openings in our music publicity efforts this Fall. So if you have a USA release or tour in need of publicity, we'd love to hear from you. Samples of some of our recent successes...
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN: Mariza (coming October 11)
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO: Sara Tavares, Cesaria Evora, Andy Palacio, Balkan Beat Box, Slavic Soul Party, Encuentro, The Inspiring New Sounds of Rio de Janeiro, Sones de Mexico (coming soon)
NEW YORK TIMES: Jose Conde y Ola Fresca, Erol Josue, The Inspiring New Sounds of Rio de Janeiro, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Lura, Nawal, Andy Palacio
Plus Wall Street Journal, PRI's The World, L.A.Times, Boston Globe, and Washington Post and more at www.rockpaperscissors.biz. Please drop me a line if we can help with your USA global music publicity efforts or to schedule a meeting at WOMEX in Sevilla (womex.com).
Much respect,
Dmitri @ Rock Paper Scissors, Inc. www.rockpaperscissors.biz
Ahoy Gamelan Dharma Swara from 10-D PJ. Thanks for cyber befriending these salty dogs. Your engaging and evocative music vibrates our boat and fires up our synapses as we look to the horizon and shout aloud: Ideal, ideal, ideal, Knowledge, knowledge, knowledge, Boomboom, boomboom, boomboom!
<°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))>< We like the cut of your jib, so keep in touch! <°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))><
