Coming Up
“…a skilled ensemble…a treat to watch.”
— The New York Times
I’m happy to announce that our gamelan group from New York City has a concert coming up later this month (mark your calendars!). I have had the joy and pleasure of performing Javanese gamelan in concert for almost two decades now — at venues like Lincoln Center, Asia Society, and the Indonesian Consulate in New York. Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in this concert with the gang, because I am here in the Sultanate of Oman. While on a Fulbright award in Indonesia, I had the opportunity to study gamelan with gamelan masters in Solo — the musical and spiritual heart of Java. Studying gamelan has radically changed how I understand myself and the world in so many ways — I’m totally in love with it. If you are in New York, don’t mess this spirited performance of meditative music from Java.
Playing gamelan at Lincoln Center
“Gorgeous. Meditative….a lot of detail. I loved the show.”
— Laurie Anderson
Gamelan Kusuma Laras, celebrating its 33rd year of studying and performing Javanese music and dance, will present a special program from the Central Javanese classical repertoire, featuring dancer Tri Kumara and singer Heni Savitri. The ensemble, directed by I.M. Harjito, will also be joined by members of the NYC-based Indonesian dance troupe, Saung Budaya.
Gamelan Kusuma Laras is a classical Javanese gamelan orchestra based in New York City that performs music, dance, and theatre from the classical repertoire of the courts of Central Java. Kusuma Laras has entranced music and dance lovers with their authentic performances on instruments created especially for the Indonesia Pavilion at the World’s Fair of 1964-65 in New York. Over the years, the ensemble has performed at venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, Roulette, Symphony Space, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Bard College, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Lincoln Center, and the Yogyakarta International Gamelan Festival.
