Recent Past Events

May 9-10, 2009. Gamelan Dharma Swara Annual Spring Concert. Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia

Gamelan Dharma Swara presents its annual spring concerts of traditional Balinese music and dance at the Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia. This program will feature world renowned dancers Dr. I Madé Bandem and I Madé Sidia of the Indonesian National Conservatory.

Gamelan Dharma Swara is honored to share the stage with these two highly accomplished artists in topeng, a form of drama featuring masked dancers performing ancient stories and myths. As part of Saturday evening’s offering, renowned shadow puppeteer and dancer I Madé Sidia will perform Arsawijaya, the elegant dance depicting a refined king. On Sunday I Madé Sidia will be joined by the renowned scholar-performer Dr. I Madé Bandem to present a traditional, extended masked dance suite.

The weekend’s programs will also include the famous barong lion dance, modern Balinese favorites including offering dances and duets, as well as Baris Mapatrayudha, Dr. Bandem’s most recent creation, inspired by ancient and sacred forms of village male temple dancing.

May 6, 2009. 7PM. Gamelan Dharma Swara with the Metropolis Ensemble and Composer Vivian Fung. 20-min performance at the Americas Society, 680 Park Avenue at 68th Street, New York, as part of a preview of Metropolis Ensemble’s upcoming fall concert REVERB, a concert exploring Ms. Fung’s points of musical inspiration. Vivian Fung is a member of Gamelan Dharma Swara. Click here for more info.

Saturday, May 2, 2009. Gamelan Dharma Swara Semara Dana Concert @ Drom. 7PM doors/8PM show. 18+

Join Gamelan Dharma Swara for a rare club performance at Drom, NYC's premiere downtown world music venue. This evening's performance will feature topeng masked dances, modern semara dana compositions, and selections from the classic semar pegulingan repertoire, originally composed to soothe the king and his concubines in Bali's 16th century palaces.

Gamelan Dharma Swara performs on handcrafted semara dana instruments. The rare 7-tone set takes listeners beyond the music of the 5-tone gong kebyar, the most ubiquitous style of Balinese gamelan.

This performance will be led by Dharma Swara's artistic director I Nyoman Saptanyana and will feature visiting artist I Madé Sidia performing topeng.

Photograph by Greg Soble

May 2, 2009. 1PM-1:45PM. Gamelan Dharma Swara - Dance demo and workshop for kids at Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Avenue, New York. Explore how Indonesian dancers use gesture to tell stories! Master Balinese artists from NYC based Gamelan Dharma Swara conduct an interactive dance workshop that includes a demonstration. Part of Family Day - Every BODY Has a Story: Exploring Movement in Asia, 12:00 - 3:00 pm, $10; $7 for seniors and $5 for students with ID; free for children under 16.

Saturday, April 4, 2009. 8-10PM. "Wayang Kali"
Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia. 5 E 68th St. NYC

Join us for an evening of traditional and experimental Balinese shadow theater. Based on an interpretation of the Hindu Mahabarata epic by renowned Indonesian author and journalist Goenawan Mohamad, “Wayang Kali” tells the story of Kali, the Goddess of Death.

Directed by master Balinese artist and Indonesia Institute of the Arts faculty member I Madé Sidia, “Wayang Kali” combines traditional Indonesian shadow puppet techniques with experimental theater and new music, in collaboration with musicians and writers in America including Shahzad Ismaily, Eyvind Kang, Jessika Kenney, Ches Smith, Andrew McGraw and Jenni Quilter.

The experimental, 45 minute Wayang Kali performance will be preceded by a short performance of traditional shadow theater accompanied by the Balinese gamelan orchestra performed by members of Gamelan Dharma Swara.

March 22, 2009. A Workshop on Shadow Puppetry with I Madé Sidia. 12-1PM. Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia. 5 E 68th St.

February 12, 2009. Gendér Wayang at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, at New York Philharmonic's School Day Concerts. Part of Music with an Accent, an educational program for elementary through high school students exploring various cultures that influenced great Western music.

November 22,23. Dharma Swara's Annual Fall Concerts.
Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia. 5 E 68th St.Saturday evening, 8 pm. Sunday matinee, 2 pm.

Gamelan Dharma Swara presents its annual fall concerts including classics of the kebyar, pelegongan, semar pegulingan and gender wayang repertoire. Featuring the rarely performed Legong Jobog and the dynamic Barong lion dances performed by Balinese master dancers.
Suggested Donation: $15. $10: students, seniors, children.

 

 

Photograph by Greg Soble

November 8th. Princeton University, Liberation Hall, NJ. Carl A. Fields Center. 7:30-10:00 pm.
Sponsorsed by PERMIAS Princeton. Gamelan Dharma Swara will play a set of Balinese music including pelegongan and rare 7-toned semara dana music in an evening festival showcasing Indonesian cultures and performing arts.

October 31st. Gamelan Dharma Swara joins the NYC Village Halloween Parade! 6th Avenue from Spring St. to 23rd. http://www.halloween-nyc.com

Target First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum - Saturday, June 7, 2008

6:30 - 8 p.m. Music and Dance
Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium, 3rd floor
Gamelan Dharma Swara presents traditional Balinese music and dancers.

More information about June's First Saturdays programming:

Karma Chameleon: A Cross-Cultural Connection. Experience the melding of cultural elements and dynamic ideas in June Target First Saturday's Karma Chameleon: A Cross-Cultural Connection. The numerous expressions and representations of cultures we will encounter throughout the night take us through the evolving concepts, mediums, and creativity of cross-cultural exploration. Embark on a spiritual journey through traditional Balinese music and dance, an electric escapade through India, Japan, Korea, Panama, Ghana and South Africa, and end the night with a dance party that mixes the signature energy of funk, soul, hip hop and electronic with hits from the 80's by the celebrated DJ Spinna.

At the Brooklyn Museum's Target First Saturdays, thousands of visitors enjoy free programs of art and entertainment each month from 5–11 p.m. For more information, visit the Target First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum website.

Make Music New York Festival, Greenpoint, Brooklyn- Saturday June 21, 2008, 2 pm

Gamelan Dharma Swara is participating in Make Music New York, a live, free musical celebration across the five boroughs of New York City. We'll be playing from 2-3 pm at the McCarren Park Greenmarket in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. (event website)

Issue Project Room, Brooklyn NY - May 17, 2008, 8 pm An Evening of Indonesian and Indonesian-Inspired Music and Dance in Brooklyn, featuring Matthew Welch's Blarvuster, Andrew McGraw, Shahzad Ismaily and Gamelan Dharma Swara (event website).

Japan Society, New York – March 21, 2008, 7:30 pm Tzadik Label Music Series III: Ikue Mori - Celebrating 30 years of Life, Love & Music in NYC (event website)

Yale University, New Haven, CT - March 1, 2008 Gamelan Dharma Swara was featured at the Yale Southeast Asia Studies Council's Annual Spring Festival (more information and photos)

Gamelan Dharma Swara in Concert, Winter, 2007
December 8 & 9, 2007, Saturday 8 pm & Sunday 2 pm
Indonesian Consulate, 5 East 68th Street (between Madison and Fifth), Manhattan
Gamelan Dharma Swara presented our annual winter weekend concert of traditional Balinese music and dance with special guest Balinese master artist I Gusti Putu Sudarta.

Gamelan Dharma Swara: Rwa Bhineda - The Sacred Balance
On February 17, 2007 at Symphony Space. Gamelan Dharma Swara presented the spectacular clash between the gruesome Rangda and the Barong protector dragon, illuminating the Balinese use of music, dance, and drama to negotiate harmony between dark and light forces in the universe. With featured guest artistic director I Wayan Dibia.