The SOU Gamelan Degung Leuwi Asih – “Beloved Valley” Gamelan – directed by Barb Barasa will offer a free outdoor concert on Thursday, May 28, from noon to 1:00 p.m. at the Library Plaza in front of the Southern Oregon University Hannon Library.

The ensemble will perform traditional gamelan degung music plus a piece by 20th century composer Lou Harrison featuring SOU student Abraham Murillo, French horn, and the premieres of pieces written for the ensemble by two local composers who are also members of the ensemble: “Song for Spring” by I’lana Cotton, featuring Arlene Tayloe, violin; and “Dewi Sri” by Scott Miller. The SOU gamelan musicians are SOU students and community members.

The term “gamelan” refers to both the instruments and the people who perform on them. The instruments are a set of Indonesian chimes, drums and gongs. Each area of Indonesia has a distinct tuning system and style of playing. SOU’s gamelan ensemble plays music of the Sundanese people, an ethnic group that inhabits a small corner of the island of Java. Sundanese gamelan is tuned in a five tone scale.

Gamelan is an ancient form of music which originated on the islands of Indonesia. Traditional gamelan music is cyclic in form and ranges in spirit from meditative and mellow to very energetic. It has influenced western composers like Claude Debussy, John Cage, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Mickey Hart.

The performance is FREE and all ages are welcome! Bring your lunch and join us for this popular event.

For more information about Gamelan Leuwi Asih, see the website:
www.sou.edu/music/gamelan.html
or contact Dale Vidmar
vidmar@sou.edu
541-552-6842