Matt Dunning (Artistic Director Gamelan Sari Raras Irama) is at it again. Back in January, I wrote about how he and his ensemble of Gamelan instrument players were turning Buffalo into a hotbed for traditional Gamelan music (Javanese-style). Since that time, Matt’s group (Nusantara Arts) has managed to acquire a completely different set of Balinese-style Gamelan instruments that are thought to be considerably old, and rare.
“It came to the attention of an anonymous donor in Santa Fe that we were looking for a set of these instruments,” Matt told me. ‘Despite having no connections to Buffalo, this woman decided that this city would be the perfect home for the instruments. After taking a Gamelan class in the late 70’s she decided to make a trip to Bali (in the 90s). While visiting a traditional market, she came across some bronze pieces that had been out of fashion in Bali for a long time. She bought them, and then brought all of the pieces to a Gamelan maker who created the resonator cases for the pieces, and then tuned them. From there, she had them shipped back to Santa Fe with the intention of creating a group to play them. That never happened. They ended up sitting around for a long time. That’s when she reached out to us, because she heard about Buffalo and its growing love for Gamelan instruments and music.”
Incredibly, Buffalo was the city that won out, over Berkley, California, which is where the donor learned to play Gamelan music. That alone speaks to the cultural shift that is underway in Buffalo… the vibrant scene that supports this fascinating Gamelan movement.
Getting the unique Balinese set of Gamelan instruments is one thing. Finding a teacher who understands the instruments is another. It turns out that there were only two teachers in the US who knew enough about the antiquated instruments to teach classes. Fortunately, one of those teachers – Gusti Komin – lives in New York State.
“He recently came to Buffalo to teach his first class,” Matt told me. “And now he’s signed up to come back once a month. He is a renowned musician in Bali, and teaches at MIT, Bucknell, and in NYC. He’s a founding member of Gamelan Çudamani, which is the highest level of performing ensembles. Now, we know that our Balinese Gamelan set is Semar Pegulingan – the main type that was played in the 1800’s (mediaeval Bali). They are exceptionally rare, as most sets were melted down to create newer styles of instruments. We are very fortunate to have a complete set. There’s only one other set in the US, and hardly anyone knows how to use them, let along teach.”
The fact that these antiquated instruments are so new to everyone, means that anyone that wants to play them is essentially starting from scratch. Hence, it’s the perfect time to learn an instrument, along with everyone else.
Nusantara Arts’ has introduced a brand new course that starts everyone off at square one. The other nice thing about joining up to play, is that the instruments offer a wide range of abilities. There will be some super fast interlocking between players, as well as slow and structural parts. That means that all music abilities are welcome.
Currently, Nusantara Arts is hosting Balinese Gamelan classes on Sundays, from 3pm to 5pm. Plus, Gusti Komin visits once a month for rehearsals.
For anyone looking to embark upon a sensational music project in the New Year, this is certainly worth a try.
In the near future, Nusantara Arts will be launching a dance program, to tie into the Balinese Gamelan performances.
These group learning activities are perfect for those who are looking to try their hand at something new, while expanding their horizons.
Get connected: Nusantara Arts | Rehearsal space is located at St. John’s Grace Episcopal Church – 51 Colonial Circle, Buffalo, NY 14222 | Classes are sliding scale | Click here to learn about the classes, and to register