Gamelan Resource Workshops

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Luminous Gamelan

INTRODUCTION TO THE GAMELAN ORCHESTRA

The Indonesian Gamelan Orchestra is another big area of interest in developing 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.

Most beginning encounters with gamelan bring the individual into contact with simple, traditional forms of Indonesian music. There is a large and attractive repertoire to learn the basics from, and traditional music can teach us a great deal. Much of this music is in active circulation, played by established gamelan ensembles throughout the world. Some of it is hauntingly beautiful, some of it challenging, and most of it presents unusual ways of thinking about music.

COMPOSE YOURSELF: ON GAMELAN

Commencing with introductory workshops on a full set of gamelan instruments, pupils continue to work in once or twice weekly sessions, translating their gamelan experiences onto western instruments. Compositions begin to emerge and all members of the group pitch in to help one another. With an increased awareness of music making, they return to the gamelan to further explore the new music they have made, now infused with cross-cultural implications.

For young people it is normal to learn gamelan music primarily by ear, emphasizing the skills of listening and memorisation. This translates well into the process of composition, where the music can be simple, often groovy and beat oriented. Within a short time playing skills are gained, and this ‘instant ensemble’ is making very interesting music.

The sounds of the gamelan instruments are coherent and relaxing. The tonalities seem to function on several levels at once, helping pupils make better sense of western instruments. During these sessions, Orff creative-music approaches and game structures help unlock the mysteries of the composer-performer. Performances at the conclusion of the project allow the children to show their compositions on both western and gamelan instruments.