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The Indonesian Gamelan Orchestra provides a large range of possibilities for participants to develop musical capability and discovery. Gamelan in Schools is sweeping through the English education system with great gusto. It's popularity lies not only with the attraction to things that are exotic (very!) but also in the game-like musical structures that both entertain participants and help make great music at the same time. This style of music making provides links to other melodic educational programmes such as Orff Schulewerk and the like.
In Glasgow the set of Javanese instruments known as Spirit of Hope are currently administered by the group Gamelan Naga Mas. Luminous Music design workshops around the instruments, both for mainstream and special educational needs. We can incorporate dramatic elements such as Shadow Puppet workshops and puppet making, storytelling and dance.
With only two sets of gamelan instruments in central Scotland at this time, many schools bring children to the instruments, yet the gamelan can travel to remote locations, providing a series of workshops for neighboring schools. Gamelan workshops bring clear understandings of the culture and art forms of Indonesia, Java and Bali.
It is advantageous to bring school groups to the instruments in one location. The maximum group size for active participation/music making during a session is 15-18, although we have run 'demonstration' workshops for several classes at once. Representative participants are selected from the audience to demonstrate on the instruments.
Minimum session time is about one hour. These hands-on sessions are available at primary, secondary and adult levels and are a valuable introduction for secondary schools curriculum, teachers and SEN.
Luminous Music have developed gamelan programmes for adults and young persons that offer a challenging learning environment for the interested student. They provide an opportunity for pupils to explore the unique elements of ensemble music-making that gamelans allow. Our programmes offer traditional gamelan skills as well as voyages of creative exploration. They are like a looking glass to help understand the musical detail and the culture from which the instruments come.
Shadow puppets, masks, songs, dances and helpful methods of learning music can presented in the course of a session, or during special workshops. Visiting artists often bring traditional insights from their own culture and family traditions, and we try to pass these along.
What makes gamelan so interesting? The instruments themselves are fascinating. They sound truly amazing. A first time encounter with the gamelan brings the individual into a world of new instruments, of metallic sounds, a carefully tuned orchestra of chimes, metal xylophones and gongs. Learning gamelan music is like trying to solve a wonderful puzzle. There are unusual problems that require interesting solutions. As pupils learn to play the music many special skills are acquired in each session.
Javanese music is based on a type of couterpoint by comparison with which that of Palestrina is child's play. And if we listen without European prejudice to the charm of their percussion , we must confess that our percussion is like primitive noises at a country fair.
Claude Debussy on Javanese music in an article written in 1913
This site provides music samples and CDs to help describe various new approaches to gamelan music, and to inform possibilities for collaboration with others.
GAMELAN NAGA MAS . GAMELAN PACIFICA . LUMINOUS GAMELAN
