Friday, October 4, 2024 at 8pm, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 7:30 pm Asia Society, NY City
In Collaboration with Wesleyan University and Asia Society
If you can find your way to NY/CT this October, you will not want to miss these concerts honoring the work of a major member of our community. They will be special.
The American Indonesian Cultural and Educational Foundation (AICEF) announces its sponsorship of two major performances of works for gamelan by I.M. Harjito, a master of Indonesia’s central Javanese classical gamelan tradition and currently University Professor of Music at Wesleyan University. The concerts feature 4 compositions in traditional gamelan style and a suite of compositions featuring gamelan and instruments from other world music traditions (Irish fiddle, Chinese erhu, Scottish bagpipes, and a string quintet). AICEF has commissioned Harjito to write a special piece which will premiere at the concerts: “Lancaran Amerika”. AICEF will eventually make this work available to all the gamelan groups in the US, hoping it will be part of their standard repertoire.
For these concerts we have gathered Javanese gamelan teachers from across the US: Sumarsam, Wesleyan University; Midiyanto, UC Berkeley; Heni Savitri, UC Davis; Darsono Hadiraharjo, Emory University; and Joko Sutrisno, UCLA. The overall ensemble will also include some of Harjito’s most experienced students as well as internationally renowned Indonesian vocalist Peni Candra Rini, a faculty member at ISI Solo.
Throughout his career, Harjito has made immense contributions to the cultural interactions between the United States and Indonesia, teaching multiple generations of students at Wesleyan University, the University of California, Brown University, Smith College, University of Massachusetts, as well as at the Consulate General of Indonesia in New York. As a guest artist he has performed throughout the United States and abroad, appearing on recordings of jazz and world music and has always been in high demand to give workshops and private lessons.
“When Harjito began teaching at Wesleyan in the US in 1975 there were only a handful of other active Javanese gamelan ensembles. Today, there are close to 100 university and community groups, most of which have a leader, teacher, or member who has studied with Harjito. We in the US owe him our deepest gratitude for devoting much of his life to teaching Americans about his culture.” (Wayne Forrest, Chairman, AICEF)
We at AICEF could not think of a better way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Indonesia than by bringing together the resident Javanese gamelan teachers from across the US to play the music of one its most respected leaders.
The concert at Wesleyan on October 4th will be free with no advanced sales. If you let me know in advance that you want to attend, we can reserve a seat(s). For the Asia Society concert on October 5th please monitor their box office or wait for a future posting.
Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 7:30 pm Asia Society, NY City
In Collaboration with Wesleyan University and Asia Society
If you can find your way to NY/CT this October, you will not want to miss these concerts honoring the work of a major member of our community. They will be special.
The American Indonesian Cultural and Educational Foundation (AICEF) announces its sponsorship of two major performances of works for gamelan by I.M. Harjito, a master of Indonesia’s central Javanese classical gamelan tradition and currently University Professor of Music at Wesleyan University. The concerts feature 4 compositions in traditional gamelan style and a suite of compositions featuring gamelan and instruments from other world music traditions (Irish fiddle, Chinese erhu, Scottish bagpipes, and a string quintet). AICEF has commissioned Harjito to write a special piece which will premiere at the concerts: “Lancaran Amerika”. AICEF will eventually make this work available to all the gamelan groups in the US, hoping it will be part of their standard repertoire.
For these concerts we have gathered Javanese gamelan teachers from across the US: Sumarsam, Wesleyan University; Midiyanto, UC Berkeley; Heni Savitri, UC Davis; Darsono Hadiraharjo, Emory University; and Joko Sutrisno, UCLA. The overall ensemble will also include some of Harjito’s most experienced students as well as internationally renowned Indonesian vocalist Peni Candra Rini, a faculty member at ISI Solo.
Throughout his career, Harjito has made immense contributions to the cultural interactions between the United States and Indonesia, teaching multiple generations of students at Wesleyan University, the University of California, Brown University, Smith College, University of Massachusetts, as well as at the Consulate General of Indonesia in New York. As a guest artist he has performed throughout the United States and abroad, appearing on recordings of jazz and world music and has always been in high demand to give workshops and private lessons.
“When Harjito began teaching at Wesleyan in the US in 1975 there were only a handful of other active Javanese gamelan ensembles. Today, there are close to 100 university and community groups, most of which have a leader, teacher, or member who has studied with Harjito. We in the US owe him our deepest gratitude for devoting much of his life to teaching Americans about his culture.” (Wayne Forrest, Chairman, AICEF)
We at AICEF could not think of a better way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Indonesia than by bringing together the resident Javanese gamelan teachers from across the US to play the music of one its most respected leaders.
The concert at Wesleyan on October 4th will be free with no advanced sales. If you let me know in advance that you want to attend, we can reserve a seat(s). For the Asia Society concert on October 5th please monitor their box office or wait for a future posting.