Javanese Gamelan in Sydney
- Langen Suka (community group) - some history

Javanese Gamelan in Sydney
Some History

Sydney has now seen more than twenty years of Central Javanese gamelan performance. Some of the highlights and key events:

• In 1985 instruments were bought jointly by the Centre for Performance Studies at the University and the Australian Museum. The purchase of the instruments was championed by Tony Day in Theatre Studies at the University of Sydney and Gay McAuley and Zoe Wakelin-King at the Australian Museum.

• The first performance group (Sydney University Gamelan Society) was started in 1986 by Dr Jennifer Lindsay.

• A student group Kyai Kebo Giro was started in 1992 by Sarah Weiss. Based in the Department of Music, this became a focus for ethnomusicology programs as well as a performance ensemble.

• Each year from 1993 to 1997 Midiyanto S. Putra, musician and puppeteer from Central Java, visited Sydney to hold workshops and enhance student understanding and feeling for both Central Javanese music and culture.

• Kyai Kebo Giro performed at the Global Cultural Diversity Conference in April 1995, hosted by Prime Minister Paul Keating and the Secretary General of the United Nations Boutros-Boutros Ghali. The ensemble performed for both the opening ceremony and for the Prime Minister's dinner.

• In August 1996 Sudarsono, an expert teacher from Central Java, worked in the Department as Artist in Residence for three weeks. He then travelled to Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, spending a total of almost two months in Australia.

• Sarah Weiss left Sydney in 1998. Vi King Lim, a student of hers who subsequently spent several years living in Java and studying both gamelan and dance, became the director of the community group (renamed Langen Suka). Aline Scott-Maxwell joined the music department and led the student group Kyai Kebo Giro.

• In December 1998 a contingent of Sydney gamelan players performed at Woodford.

• In August 2001 Langen Suka performed in the Sydney Opera House as part of the Asian Music and Dance Festival.

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Performance List (incomplete)

Date	Group/Director	Location/Details
24 February 2002	Langen Suka/Vi King Lim	Powerhouse Museum: with dance (VKL)
19 January 2002	Langen Suka/Vi King Lim	Powerhouse Museum: with dance (VKL)
26 August 2001	Langen Suka/Vi King Lim	Opera House: Asian Music and Dance Festival
12 May 2001	Langen Suka/Vi King Lim	ODS: Gandakusuma
27 April 2000	Langen Suka/Vi King Lim	McLaurin Hall: Music from Indonesia (with Sari Minang and Sekaa Gong Tirta Sinar)
13 April 2000	Langen Suka/Vi King Lim	ODS: Music of the Soul
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27 October 1998	Kyai Kebo Giro	McLaurin Hall: Vi King Lim's recital
19 November 1997	Kyai Kebo Giro/Sarah Weiss	The Harbourside Brasserie
26 October 1996	Kyai Kebo Giro/Sarah Weiss	The Dispensary
18 October 1996	Kyai Kebo Giro/Sarah Weiss	McLaurin Hall: Ray Keogh benefit (with Sydney Chamber Choir)
29 October 1995	Kyai Kebo Giro/Sarah Weiss	Australian Museum
18 October 1995	Kyai Kebo Giro/Sarah Weiss	McLaurin Hall: A Night of Central Javanese Gamelan

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Last updated: July 2001