A Cup of Java, II: UH Gamelan Ensemble with dancers from Java

Ten accomplished performing artists of classical Javanese dance and music will be in residence for ten days, working closely with Hawai‘i’s highly regarded 25-piece gamelan orchestra, culminating in a public concert at the lovely Bakken Auditorium on the campus of Mid-Pacific Institute in Mānoa Valley.

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world and its island of Java is rich and diverse in culture and art. Central Java in particular is a place of great cultural significance. Cultivated for hundreds of years in the palaces of the Sultan of Yogyakarta,music and dance continue to define Javanese worldview and aesthetics.

Requiring great control and deep contemplation, Javanese gamelan has been described by Andrés Segovia as “the music of the spheres.” This program will include a broad range of Javanese works, from exquisite mask dancing, to a duel of woman warriors, to a male quartet of strength and ceremony—all to the dramatic soundscapes of the gamelan. The culmination of this diverse program is Karna’s Choice—a story about the sorrows of war, the love of a mother, and the loyalty of brothers—as told in the beloved Indian epic, the Mahabharata.

Dance Direction: Bambang Pudjasworo and Heni Winahyuningsih (ISI)
Music Direction: Anon Suneka (ISI), Hardja Susilo, and Byron Moon (UH)

Sponsored by the East West Center Arts Program.

more info about the UH Gamelan

Directions from Downtown Honolulu & Waikiki
From H-1, exit at University Street & proceed north (mauka) toward Mānoa Valley approximately 1.5 miles. You will pass the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa and the Mid-Pacific Institute baseball field on your right. Turn right on Ka‘ala Street and proceed to the security gate.

Concert Poster