Beth Mullins,
Christine Southworth,
Erin McCoy,
Evan Ziporyn,
Jacques Weissgerber,
Jarad Brown,
Julie Strand,
Katheryn French,
Larisa Berger,
Lin Bird
Mark Buckles,
Mark Stewart,
Matt Peairs,
Megan Tsai,
Michelle Merrill,
Midori Matsuo,
Ramon Castillo,
Sachi Sato,
Sam Schmetterer,
Sean Mannion,
Shane Leonard,
Steve Merrill,
Thomas Carr
Influences
Balinese Gamelan, Rock and Roll, Modern American, World Music
Founded and directed by Evan Ziporyn, composer and Associate Professor of Music at MIT, Gamelan Galak Tika is approximately 30 members strong, drawing its membership from MIT students, staff, and the community at large. We rehearse for roughly five hours a week, and we perform as often as we can, learning all our music aurally, without the aid of notation. Modeled on the Balinese village sekeha, with decisions made communally and responsibilities shared among the members of the ensemble, we simply seek to share our passion for incredible sounds of the tradition as well for experimentation.
Since its inception, the group has devoted itself both to studying traditional Balinese music and dance and to developing new works by Balinese and American composers. It has given dozens of performances around the East Coast and New England, at venues ranging from the Bang on a Can Marathon at Lincoln Center and Brooklyn Academy of Music to Bostons First Night to an appearance at the Kripalu Yoga Institute. Its programs have included presentations of traditional Balinese repertoire, new works by twentieth-century Balinese composers, collaborations with the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble and tai chi master Bow Sim Mark, andwith famed computer music duo Basso Bongo on Ziporyn's Amok!. Gamelan Galak Tika has given school workshops, offered dance classes, and also devised the first-ever kecak-along, a participatory performance in which 1,000 people were taught to shout the interlocking rhythms of the famous Balinese monkey chant. Galak Tika has premiered music and dance works by Nyoman Catra, Desak Made Suarti Laksmi, Dewa Ketut Alit, Wayan Lotring, Gde Manik, I Mario, Joshua Penman, Dan Schmidt, Danielle Smith, Christine Southworth, Nyoman Windha, Evan Ziporyn, and Rebecca Zook.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 162 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): TEES TO TYNE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS - SUMMER 2001
Where traditions are not so rare; Sea, country and works scent the air; A multitude of monuments, Planted tubs and patterned pavements.
The longish pedestrian malls; The remnants of defensive walls; Historic buildings are a gauge Of the respect for heritage.
Wheat, rape and pines in the fields; Estuaries guarded by shields; Long sandy beaches and wide scenes; Romantic-ruin go-betweens.
Rivers in parts licked by trees, Or fringed by boat clubs, wharfs, gantries, And crossed by practical delights - Varied spans, forming pleasing sights.
Fine churches headed at Durham; Football kits ad infinitum; Kept castles - one for study; Masonry behind masonry.
And, with moulding-works out that way, It’s somewhere for a longer stay..?
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that my new album Afrikan Machinery is out now on Tzadik Records. Check out some of the tracks on my profile! You can buy the CD here, here, or here. It's also available on iTunes.
Best Wishes, Lukas Ligeti
