Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Practical and theoretical study of music for gamelan ensemble, based on, but not limited to, traditional Javanese music. This course is designed as an introduction to the study of the music of non-Western cultures and as a method of developing ensemble musicianship. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. May be repeated once for credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Course Description/topic:

Gamelan is one of the Indonesian traditional orchestra consisting mainly of gongs and other bronze percussion instruments, drums, strings, and vocals. It is one of the world`s most sophisticated orchestral traditions, yet it is music which includes varying levels of difficulty, and thus the simpler pieces in the repertoire can be approached without training in advanced instrumental, theoretical and practical techniques. An understanding of basic level of music—especially in terms of the fundamental rhythmic skills—would be useful.

 

Week 1 (1^st class, Mon. Jan. 8^th , 2^nd class, Wed. Jan 10^th).

-Self introduction / review the content of course.

-Introducing the concept of sharing/"gotong royong" in the gamelan.

-Introduction to Gamelan and watch the videos related to the subject.

 

+Gamelan practice.

+Q&A              

Þ Home work: Reading for the next class, see the online articles from: http://sumarsam.web.wesleyan.edu/Intro.gamelan.pdf

 

Week 2 (3^rd class, Mon. Jan 15^th; 4^th class, Wed. Jan 17^th).

-Review reading (Q&A) & discus about the gotong royong theoretical framework that can be used/applied to our gamelan class

-Notation system use in the gamelan

+Watch the gamelan videos

+Notation system use in the gamelan  

Þ Reading & summarizing book chapters from the following links: http://gamelan.org/library/writings/Sorrell01_guide_gamelan.pdf (Chapter 2&3, p. 18-54. Due on Week 3, Mon, Jan 22^nd between 2 to 3 pages in 12 fonts, double space. Submit through Canvas or email: ssutrisn@sfu.ca).

 

Note: For CA 343 please discuss not only about the function of your instruments and/or gamelan terminologies that you find from the readings, but also to compare and contrast to one of the other reading material based on the authors’ perspectives.

   

Week 3 (5^th class, Mon. Jan 22^nd; 6^th class, Wed. Jan 24^th)

-Discussion (Q & A about element of music for gamelan, i.e.: tuning systems, scale, rhythm, dynamic, timbre)

-Gamelan practice

+Traditional gamelan composition.  

Þ Reading & summarizing book chapters due today at 11:59pm.

ÞReading for discussion on Wed class, see the online articles from:

http://www.gamelan.org/library/writings/susiloessay.html

 

Week 4 (7^th class, Mon. Jan 29^th; 8^th class, Wed. Jan 31^st).

-Discussion based on the reading.

-Vocal parts for gamelan

-Gamelan practice  

+Contemporary gamelan composition

+Q & A of the home work.

Þ reference:

http://www.gamelan.org/balungan/back_issues/balungan2(3).pdf

           

Week 5 (9^th class, Mon. Feb 5^th; 10^th class Wed. Feb 7^th)

-Working on vocal and gamelan composition

-Creativity and improvisation in the gamelan.

-Gamelan practice

            +Watch selected gamelan performances

            +Home work: How to compare and contrast gamelan

Þ Reading for the next class:

Diamond, Jody. (1992). “Making Choices: American Gamelan in Composition and Education (from the Java Jive to “Eine Kleine Gamelan Music”)” in Foley, Kathy. ed. (1992). Essay on Southeast Asian Performing Arts: Local Manifestations and Cross-Cultural Implications. California: Centers for South and Southeast Asia Studies, University of California at Berkeley. P. 117-139.

Week 6 (11^th class, Mon. Feb 12^th; 12^th class, Wed. Feb 14^th).

 

-Compare, contrast, and analyze musical patterns of gamelan repertoires.

-Historical overview Gamelan and the West, including exoticism, colonialism during the WWII; the existence of ethnomusicology & world music programs.

-Gamelan practice

+Self motivation in the gamelan practice—example of site specific pattern 1). 

 

Notes: Starting this week, students will be required to prepare for intended selection projects based on the subject learning and/or in consultation with instructors. Topics may include technical, theoretical, research, observation and/or collaboration of the subject learning.

 

Week 7 (Classes will be canceled due to Family day on Feb 19^th, and the Reading break between Feb 20^th to 25^th).

 

Week 8 (13^th class, Mon. Feb. 26^th; 14^th class, Wed. Feb 27^th)

-Watch Gamelan videos (focus on examples of site specific pattern 2).

-Gamelan practice.

 

+Watch Gamelan videos; Focus on the elaborating instruments and technical skill.

+Discussion about individual/group gamelan project may include: class presentations, new compositions for gamelan, extra rehearsal schedules, etc.

 

Week 9 (15^th class, Mon. March 4^th; 16^th class, Wed. Mar 6^th)

-Discussion on the cultural discourse about gamelan.

-Gamelan practice (example of site specific pattern 3).

 

+Self motivation, individual or group sectional rehearsal.

 

Week 10 (17^th class, Mon. Mar 11^th; 18^th class Wed. Mar 13^th)

-Review and building on music discourse and exercises (1)

-Gamelan practice

            +Improvisation in gamelan (kinesthetic response 1)

 

ÞProgress report (Students’ projects i.e.: class presentations, or new composition/exploration for gamelan music, or gamelan journal, etc.) will due on Monday March 18^th.

 

Week 11 (19^th class, Mon. Mar. 18^th; 20^th class Wed. Mar. 20^th)  

-Improvisation in gamelan (kinesthetic response 2)

-Gamelan practice

            -Watch the video of gamelan and contemporary works.

+Discussion about practical issues and the implementation of Gamelan in the West (and vice versa).

                       

Week 12 (21^th class, Mon. Mar. 25^th; 22^st class, Wed. Mar 27^th)

-Group 1 & 2 (class presentation), Q&A, and discussion.

-Gamelan rehearsal

 

Week 13 (April 1^st. Classes will be canceled due to Easter Monday).

 

Week 13 (23^rd class, Wed. Apr. 3^rd)

-group 3 & 4 (class presentation), Q&A.

+Gamelan rehearsal

 

Week 14 (24^th class, Mon. Apr. 8^th; 25^th class, Wed. Apr. 10^th )

            -Gamelan rehearsal for all repertoires

+Gamelan performance

            -Due date for final paper/gamelan project.       

 

Note:

• This syllabus is not 100% fix, and need to be discussed further especially for the final project and performance.
• Students will be given opportunity to practice with instructor/guest artists by appointment using the SFU’s gamelan Kyahi Madusari (the venerable essence of honey) during the entire semester.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

• apply principles of gamelan music, both theoretical and practical.
• assess, evaluate, and reflect on a performance and teamwork.
• explore, create, and/or compose gamelan music in creative ways.

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Internet information:

There is plenty to Google, of course. Feel free, but be skeptical of things that seem too tourist-oriented or commercial. I recommended joining the international gamelan listserv for the sake of the periodic interesting discussion thread. There are about 600 subscribers worldwide. Send an Email to: GAMELAN@LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU with the message SUBSCRIBE GAMELAN.

The following links are valuable for gamelan sources:

• https://sites.google.com/view/gamelanbooks/home
• https://nusantaraarts.com/guest-lecture-series/
• http://sumarsam.web.wesleyan.edu/Intro.gamelan.pdf
• http://www.gamelan.org/balungan/index.html
• http://web.grinnell.edu/courses/mus/gamelans/open.html

 

RECOMMENDED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: