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BALUNGAN

Since 1984, Balungan is the American Gamelan Institute’s journal for artists and scholars, dedicated to documenting, preserving, and advancing innovation in gamelan and related traditions.

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Complete Issue

Wayang Beber Metropolitan: a contemporary Javanese picture-scroll theater group
by Marina Pretkovik and Tea Skrinjaric
Directory of Selected Wayang Beber Groups and Museums​
compiled by Daniel Smither
Directory of Canadian Gamelan Groups
compiled by Laurent Bellemare
PanGamelan: Upcycling Pans into Collective Musical Instruments
by Marti Ruiz
Kantaka (score)
by Wahyu Thoyyib Pambayun
Beyond Expo ’86: A History of Gamelan in Canada
by Laurent Bellemare; Ethan Schwartz, editor
Lholands (score)
by Larry Polansky
Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan at 40
by John Siddal and Blair Mackay
EXPLORE V16

Note:

Additional media for Vol.16 can be accessed through links directly embedded in the article PDFs.

Complete Issue

The Gifts of the Pandemic
by Jody Diamond
Dewa Alit and Gamelan Salukat
by Oscar Smith
The Spoken and the Unspoken: A Pedagogical Perspective on Balinese Gamelan
by Leslie A. Tilley
Notating Sundanese Kendang: Historical Approaches and a New Font
by Ed Garcia and Een Herdiani
Korona Suminggah: a prayer for an end to the Coronavirus Pandemic (score)
composition by Saptono, notes by Fumiko Tamura
Two Experimental Gamelan Makers Respond to a Changing Environment: Muhammad Sulthoni and Sigit Pamungkas
by Sean Hayward
Rocky Mountain Balinese Gamelan Festival
by Elizabeth McLean Macy

Note:

Additional media for Vol.15 can be accessed through links directly embedded in the article PDFs.

Complete Issue

Maguru Maya: Teaching Balinese Gamelan at a Distance
by Otto Stuparitz
From Performance to Pedagogy: Transforming the Role of a Freelance Gamelan Teacher
by Meghan Hynson, with Gusti Komin
“Prepare Your Bandwidth!”: Teaching Gamelan Online at ISI Surakarta
by Wahyu Thoyyib Pambayun, with Jody Diamond
Nusantara Arts Gamelan Masters Series
by Matthew Dunning, with Linda Hibbs
Gamelan Sekar Jaya: Bali’s Living Arts Series
by Rebecca Selin
Our Identity and Our Heritage: the Preservation of Javanese Dance
by Dewi Galuh Sinta Sari
Golden Dragons Online: How Do We Keep Resonating?
by Katherine Waumsley, J. Simon van der Walt, Heather Strohschein, Martin Sewell, and Bill Whitmer
Only the Shadows Know: the Evolving Performance of Wayang in Java
by Jody Diamond and Linda Hibbs
A Thousand Singing Voices: the Power of Javanese Macapat
by Asita Majdi, with Linda Hibbs
Two Poems by Otok Bima Sidarta
by Garret Kam
Macapat from the Kraton Yogyakarta: Classic Poems for a Contemporary Catastrophe
by Wedana Susilomadyo, translated by Nyi MJ. Reninawangmataya
The Upside of Chaos: Bard Gamelan Gets a New Home
by Sue Pilla
The Gongs Hang Silent: Gamelan in New Zealand
by Jo Hilder, Megan Collins, Budi Putra, and Gareth Farr
Gamelanhuis: A Collective Home in Amsterdam
by Elsje Plantema
We Will Survive: Global Gamelan in a Worldwide Pandemic
edited by Jody Diamond and Linda Hibbs
Scrapbook: photos and posters from Indonesia
by Linda Hibbs

Note:

Additional media for Vol.14 can be accessed through links directly embedded in the article PDFs.

Complete Issue

Djoko Waluyo: How Can I Explain Feeling? (interview)
by Sean Hayward
Lintang (score)
by Djoko Waluyo, notes by Sean Hayward
Recipe for Starting a Gamelan Group
by Barbara Benary
Mostly Slendro Passacaglia (score)
by Barbara Benary
Making Bamboo Angklung
by Barbara Benary
International Gamelan Festival Solo 2018
participants
Gamelan: A Cross-Cultural Creative Context for Community Music Making
by jody diamond
Prelude: Anyone Can Play (score)
by jody diamond
Allahuakbar (score)
by Sutanto Mendut, with others’ contributions
Formal Aspects of Performance Practice in Central Javanese Gamelan Music
by Roger Vetter
5 (lima) (score)
by Aris Daryono
Pamor [As One] (poem)
by Peni Candrarini, translation by Stuart Robson
ADDITIONAL MEDIA

Complete Issue

Alternative Methods in Composition of New Karawitan
by Pande Made Sukerta
The Macapat Style of Pak Netra
by Darsono
Does an Indonesian Composer Need a Regional Identity?
by I Wayan Sadra
Compositions for Gamelan by Lou Harrison
by Jay Arms and jody diamond
Mahambara: New Music from ISI Solo
foreword by Rahayu Supanggah
Terus dan Terus (score)
by I Wayan Sadra
Yellow Flower Burial (score)
by Krystyna Bobrowski
A Cornish Lancaran (score)
by Lou Harrison
ADDITIONAL MEDIA

Complete Issue

Gamelan in Japan
by Barbara Benary and Tomoko Deguchi
Air Naga (score)
by Teruo Yamasaki
I Gusti Bagus Nyoman Pandji
by Ruby Ornstein
Notes on the Balinese Gamelan Musik
by I G.B.N. Pandji
The New Wave of Jaipongan Dance
by Irawati Durban
Enculturation and Cross-Cultural Experiences in Teaching Indonesian Gamelan
by Hardja Susilo
Beginning Gambang
by Widiyanto S. Putro

Complete Issue

Gatra: A Basic Concept of Traditional Javanese Gending
by Rahayu Supanggah
Wayang Wong Priangan: Dance Drama of West Java
by Yus Ruslaiana; translated, edited, and augmented by Kathy Foley
Divining the Diva: Nyi Tjondroloekito (interview)
Nancy Cooper
Sinta Wullur and the Diatonic Gamelan (interview)
by Huib Ramaer
Komang Astita: the performance of sound (interview)
by Elaine Barkin
Gambang Cengkok in Slendro Manyura
by Carter Scholz
Tetabeuhan Sungut (Onomatopoeia) (score)
by Slamet Abdul Sjukur
a little piece for pianoforte (score)
by Michael Asmara
Rag for Deena (score)
by Barbara Benary
Gending Moon (score)
by Lou Harrison, notes by jody diamond
Waton by Komang Astita (score)
by Elaine Barkin
Trimbat by Ida Bagus Made Widnyana (score)
by Andrew McGraw
Homage to Tradition: CD notes
by Rahayu Supanggah
The Mills College Gamelan
documented by Will Ditrich; designed by Lou Harrison and William Colvig
ADDITIONAL MEDIA

Complete Issue

Waves (score)
Michiharu Matsunaga
Ghosts (score)
Daniel J. Schmidt
Woodstone (score)
Ingram Marshall
Al Het (score)
Larry Polansky
The September Vision (score)
Jarrad Powell
Philemon and Baukis (score)
Lou Harrison
The Cave (score)
Jane Coxon
In That Bright World (score)
Jody Diamond
Gong Kundali Shakti (score)
Jon Keliehor
A Lion Does Not Read Books (score)
Eric Richards
In Celebration of Golden Rain (score)
Richard Felciano
Rain (score)
J. Morris
5 Inventions for 2 Bonang and Percussion (score)
Robert Lombardo
The Sycamore Tree (score)
Mark Langford
Gotong Royong (score)
B. Subono
Kembalikan Indonesia Padaku (poem)
Taufiq Ismail

Complete Issue

Singing round the table: vocalized wayang and gamelan in Jemblung and Purwacarita
Yono Sukarno
Ra Ngandel: Martopangrawit’s last “experimental” composition
Mark Perlman, Sri Hastanto
The New Order and Reformasi: The Wayang Scene in Semarang
Tjahono Raharjo
Madura Journal: encounters with strange ensembles
Jack Body
gonjanganjingnegeriku
Herry Dim
Musical Transcription: from sound to symbol and back again
Jack Body
Joko Sutrisno: “Penataan — many different feelings in a short time” (interview)
Gareth Farr
Beat the gong “until it laughs”: Panggiyo Resowiguna (interview)
Yono Sukarno
“Why do we dance at all?”: Liong Xi, performer and choreographer (interview)
Allan Thomas
Reong Lenggong (score)
Gareth Farr
Kerinduan / Ketawang Yitmo (score)
Aloysius Sutikno, R.L. Martopangrawit
Gamelan on the World Wide Web
David Voss

Complete Issue

Creative Musical Practices in the Performance of Pantun Sunda
Andrew N. Weintraub
Tembang Sunda Poetry
Gary Young, Marcus Kaufman
“Our laughter balances our tears”: Humor in Sundanese Arts
Sean Williams
Sundanese Dance Accompaniment: the Career of Pa Kayat
Henry Spiller
Linking Past and Future: Asep Sunandar Sunarya, Irawati Durban Arjo and Endo Suanda (interview)
Kathy Foley
Nano S.’s Warna: A Life in Music
Linda Burman-Hall
Warna (score)
Nano S.
Gamelan Town: Sundanese Arts at U.C. Santa Cruz (profile)
Linda Burman-Hall
Gamelan Freiburg (profile)
Dieter Mack

Complete Issue

Across Three Generations: a Solo Piece for Thai Gong Circle
Deborah Wong
Phya Sok (transcription)
as taught by Nikorn Chantasorn
Teachers on Tape: Innovation and Experimentation in Teaching Thai Music
Pamela Myers-Moro
Sam-Ang Sam: We Live Through Changes (interview)
Jarrad Powell
The Term Karawitan
Marc Perlman
Gelas 1091 (score)
Pande Made Sukerta
Yokaze (score)
Harry Roesli
Thai Music at Kent State (profile)
Terry Miller
Gods, Giants and Monkeys: Thai Music at Southwestern University (profile)
Ellsworth Petersen

Complete Issue

Kotekan: the technique of interlocking parts in Balinese music
Wayne Vitale
I Wayan Dibia: the relationship of music and dance in Balinese performing arts (interview)
Wayne Vitale
Sindu Arsa (score)
I Ketut Partha (notes by Wayne Vitale)
Gamelan Sekar Jaya (profile)
Wayne Vitale
Gamelan Angklung in Denver (profile)
Wayne Vitale

Complete Issue

Pekan Komponis VIII: a national composers' festival
Nikhil Dally
“It’s not official till the gong is hung”: Dr. Sri Hastanto, S. Kar. (interview)
Kent Devereaux
Gamelan in Britain: the story so far
Neil Sorrell
Changes (score)
Michael Parsons
Mas in 1 minor (score)
Neil Sorrell
The Monkey Puzzle (score)
Mark Lockett
Profiles of UK Gamelan
Various Authors

Complete Issue

An introduction to the musical traditions of Cirebon
Richard North
Dancing in Cirebonese Topeng
Endo Suanda
An introduction to wayang kulit Cirebon
Richard North
Tarling: modern music from Cirebon
Michael R. Wright
Coast (score)
David Mahler
Weraspati Gong, Sweden (profile)
Peter Hogenäs
The Hawaii Loa College gamelan ensemble (profile)
Richard North

Complete Issue

Balungan
Rahayu Supanggah (translated by Marc Perlman)
The construction and use of the knobbed gong in Taiwan
Han Kuo-Huang
An informal chronology of gamelan in Japan
Morishige Yukitoshi with Nakagawa Shin (translated by Ueno Michiko)
John Cage (interview)
Miguel Frasconi
An introduction to the slendro gender panerus including cengkok notation
Marsudi (translated by Kent Devereaux)
National Institute of the Arts, Taiwan (profile)
Han Kuo-Huang

Complete Issue

Sardono Kusomo: a world without boundaries (interview)
Jody Diamond
Letter from Banyumas
René T.A. Lysloff
Gending Erhu (score)
Jarrad Powell
Indonesia Group EXPO ’86 (profile)
Jody Diamond
Suhirjan: musician and gamelan maker (profile)
Joan Bel Cowan
Gending Jody (score)
Lou Harrison

Complete Issue

First International Gamelan Festival and Symposium
John H. Chalmers, Jr.
Sasak Music in Lombok
David. Harnish
Philip Corner: You Can Only Be Who You Are (interview)
Jody Diamond
Bila Bali di Tangan Bule: If Bali Were Held By Bules (translation)
Gus Martin (translated by Michael Tenzer)
Marta Budaya (score)
Mantle Hood
NightWaters (score)
Arthur Durkee
New Music for Gamelan at ASKI Solo
Arthur Durkee
Gamelan in Texas (profile)
John H. Chalmers, Jr.
Gamelan in New Zealand: a chronology (profile)
Allan Thomas

Complete Issue

Suratno: Recent Innovations in Javanese Wayang Kulit (interview)
Kent Devereaux and Rene Lysloff
Notation or Not: Some musings about writing it all down
Jarrad Powell
The Angklung Ensemble of West Java: Continuity of an Agricultural Tradition
Randal Baier
Friends of the Gamelan, Chicago, Illinois (profile)
University of Michigan: an interview with Judith Becker and Rene Lysloff (profile)
University of Wisconsin at Madison (profile)
Five Inventions for Two Bonang and Percussion (score)
Robert Lombardo
Northern Illinois University: an interview with Han Kuo-Huang (profile)
Ethnomusicology at Oberlin College (profile)
Roderick Knight
The Bonang Barung in Contemporary Gamelan Performance Practice
Rene Lysloff
Bali Swing (score)
Dawn LaBuy
Gamelan Festival Expo ’86 Vancouver

Complete Issue

I Wayan Sinti: Combining the Old with the New (interview)
Jody Diamond
Aesthetic Tradition and Cultural Transition in Java and Bali (book review)
Kent Devereaux
KOKAR Den Pasar: An Annotated List of Gamelan on Campus
Gamelan at Rockland Project School
Barbara Benary
Lancaran Siborupastima (score)
Ben M. Pasaribu
Earth Music: A Catalogue of Indonesian Music
Philip Yampolsky
Cambridge Gamelan Society (profile)
Bill Martin
Gong Dance à 7 (score)
Daniel Goode

Complete Issue

Daniel Schmidt: composition and the design of American Gamelan (interview)
Peter Adler and Jody Diamond
Tuning Systems in American Gamelan
Larry Polansky
Karawitan: source readings in Javanese Gamelan and vocal music (book review)
Kent Devereaux
Network (news bulletin)
Main Bersama-sama (score)
Lou Harrison
Cengkok for the Gender (notation)
Ben Brinner
Beginning Gender Technique
Soedarsono Wignyosaputro (collected by Jody Diamond)

Complete Issue

Harja Susilo: 26 years of flexibility and tolerance (interview)
Geraldine Diamond
West Java Arts: the Spirit of Sunda (profile)
Henry Spiller
Javanese Wayang Kulit at UC Berkeley (review)
Ernest Rideout
In That Bright World (score)
Jody Diamond
Sigramangsah: bonang of Ki Wasitodipuro (transcription)
Richard Mix
Concert Programs: Hawaii, Sonoma State, Mills College, Berkeley Gamelan, Diamond Bridge
Topeng Babakan (film review)