Music of Java and Music of Bali
Ensemble Directors
Joko Sutrisno
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Lecturer – Ethnomusicology, Director of Music of Java Ensemble
Director Music of Java Ensemble
Joko Sutrisno is a native speaker of Javanese and Indonesian languages, born in Central Java, and began learning gamelan music from his father at 5 years of age. Since 2002, Sutrisno has worked as the Artistic Director of Sumunar Gamelan and Dance Ensemble, a community-based group in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Through teaching, performances, and community outreach, he promotes an understanding of and appreciation for Indonesian gamelan music, dance, and culture. With his strong leadership skills and his student-centered teaching style, Sumunar has achieved a high level of playing that has resulted in many prominent performances. Prior to moving to Minnesota, Sutrisno worked for Education, Cultural, Social and Information Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy in New Zealand and taught gamelan music at the Victoria University of Wellington 1987–1995. Sutrisno also served as adjunct faculty at the College of Saint Catherine in Saint Paul 1995–1999.
Concurrent with his work with Sumunar, he has extensive experience leading college-level gamelan programs. He has been the Consulting Director at Hamilton College since 1997, Saint Thomas University (St. Paul) since 2016, and Concordia College (Moorhead) since 2019. Prior to his work at these institutions, there were no gamelan programs. He began by conducting workshops for their students, and gradually all three World Music professors learned how to play and teach gamelan with Sutrisno’s guidance. Now, they have their own sets of gamelan instruments and established gamelan programs that continue to grow to the next level.
Sutrisno has also initiated gamelan programs and taught students at the K-12 levels. Since 1997, he has been listed on the roster of Teaching Artists with the award-winning Community Programs in the Arts (COMPAS) to do school residencies teaching gamelan music and shadow puppetry. He has done 170 residencies, reaching thousands of students throughout Minnesota.
As an educator for the last 35 years, Sutrisno has experience working with students from a variety of backgrounds and with a range of goals and needs, including people from underrepresented groups. For example, in 2022, he taught a one-month intensive course to 35 artists with disabilities which culminated in a public performance at the Interact Center in St. Paul.
As a composer, he has created more than 20 new works based on collaborations between gamelan and many other different art forms such as western symphony orchestra and choir music, Indian music, Chinese music, Arabic and Middle Eastern music, and West African music, to name a few.
He has received numerous local, national, and international awards, most recently: Creative Individuals from Minnesota State Arts Board (2022, 2023); Arts Impact for Individuals from Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, St. Paul (2022, 2023); Arts Initiative from Minnesota State Arts Boards (2018); Outstanding Alumni Award from the Indonesian Institute of Arts in Surakarta (2018); McKnight Composer Fellowship (2016); and the Twin Cities Ivey Award for musical design and direction (2014).
During his leisure time, he enjoys playing pickleball.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts with Honors (1987), Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) in Surakarta, Indonesia. Focused on performance of diverse repertoire of Javanese gamelan music with a specialty in solo performance of the kendhang (drums) and a minor in new gamelan music composition.
Outstanding Student Award (1985, Indonesian Ministry of Education: academic achievement, #1 of 1250 students
Bachelor of Arts (1985), Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) in Surakarta, Indonesia
Major: Traditional Gamelan music
PROGRAM
MUSIC OF JAVA PROGRAM NOTES
PAMBUKO
Pambuko is a short opening piece composed for Kasuryan (Javanese Gamelan & Dance of Los Angeles). Written in Javanese, the song celebrates playing gamelan music in California. It was composed by Dr Widodo Broto Sejati professor of Semarang State University (UNNES) in April 2025.
Lyrics in Javanese
Kasurung roso gandrung
Sureng karyo labuh budyo luhur
Yekti éndah ediné nengsemké ati
Arum rarasiro runtut
Nenggih gamelan rinaos
Kadi radityo murub
Rina wengi tan kendhat nggenyo leladi
Ing jagad royo puniku
Lampahing US sayektos
English Translation
Intrigued by feeling of love
Dare to work and create
For the sake of noble culture
Truly beautiful charm captivates the heart
The beauty of the melody is coherent
That is how it’s felt
As the sun shines, bright light illuminates everything
Day and night continuous service in this universe
Similarly, the dharma/work in the US is heartily carried out
GAMBYONG PANGKUR
Gambyong is a beloved Javanese dance known for its graceful, refined movements that reflect ideals of beauty. Traditionally performed at the start of events to welcome guests, it is accompanied by Pangkur, a versatile classical piece. Tonight’s rendition is in the Slendro Manyuro mode, evoking joy and peaceful tranquility.
Dancer: Tri Sutrisno
SUBOKASTOWO SUITE
This suite typically accompanies Javanese dance or wayang kulit (shadow puppet plays), portraying the battle between good, represented by the refined warrior Harjuno, and evil, represented by the ogre Cakil. The sequence includes:
- Subokastowo - Refined and meditative
- Ayak-Ayakan - An ogre named Cakil disturbs the refined warrior Harjuno
- Kemudo Rangsang - A fight emerges between Cakil & Harjuno
- Sampak - Cakil is defeated, despite wielding a keris (dagger)
AYUN-AYUN
Ayun-ayun is a traditional composition expressing a fresh, joyful mood, with 32 beats per gong cycle.
SEKAR ARUM ( Fragrant Flower)
This piece was composed for the dance Sekar Arum (“Fragrant Flower”). Its lively movements and melodic theme evoke the joy and renewal of spring.
Dancers: Angel Artha, Weny Michelstein, Arista Nareswari, Mega Passage, Aditya Rahmawati, Adinda Syahputri
CAPING GUNUNG - Langgam - Dhangdhut
Caping Gunung is a popular gamelan piece arranged by renowned composer Bapak Gesang. It blends langgam—a Javanese folk style influenced by Portuguese music—and dangdut, a genre rooted in orkes melayu, Indian music, and Arabic pop.
SREPEG SAMPAK - SAPU JAGAD
Srepeg and Sampak are commonly used in shadow puppetry, especially during final scenes. Sapu Jagad, a short and lively piece, closes our program with the joyful resonance of gamelan.
The UCLA Javanese Gamelan Ensemble (91H/161H Music of Java) is offered during the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters as a course in the Department of Ethnomusicology, meeting on Thursdays from 11:00 am 1:50 pm. The course is open to all students, faculty, and staff, and no prior experience is required. All questions and inquiries should be directed to Joko Sutrisno (joko.gamelan@gmail.com).
***
UCLA, SPRING FESTIVAL OF WORLD MUSIC
MUSIC OF BALI
MAY 31, 2025.
DIRECTED BY NYOMAN WENTEN
AND GUEST DANCE DIRECTOR NANIK WENTEN
PROGRAM:
1. Tabuh Suara Suling
“Suara Suling,” means sound of the flute, highlights the sound of the flute. Composed in Central Java the city of Semarang by a famous puppeteer Ki Narto Sabdo. Balinese musician, composer I Wayan Gandra adapted the original piece for a modern Balinese gamelan Gong Kebyar. Gandra’s version became a notable example of cross-cultural musical adaptation, blending Javanese melodic elements with Balinese gamelan style.
2. Baris dance
This a traditional Balinese war dance that dramatizes a young warrior preparing himself to go into battle. This is one of iconic Balinese dances, usually performed by a young boy.
Dancer: Tristan Samson.
3. Ratnayu dance
“Ratnayu,” the old Javanese words; Ratna means Jewel and Ayu means beautiful, suggesting a dance centered around preciousness, grace, and elegance, cherished aspect of Balinese culture. A collaboration piece between Nyoman Wenten, Nyoman Cerita and Dewa Putu Berata.
Dancers: Weny Michelstein, Nancy Susatyo Soqui, Kerri Shak, Shella Berg, Arista Nareswari.
4. Tabuh Penyuwud
“Penyuwud,” means the end, this piece is customarily played at the conclusion of a performance to accompany the audience’s departure.
Guest dancers: Weny Michelstein, Nancy Susatyo Soqui, Kerri Shak, Shella Berg, Arista Nareswari, Tristan Samson.
Guest Musicians: Made Marcoluna, Adam Berg, Matthew Clough -Hunter, Geoff Dent, Thomas Wandborg, Justin Wells, Katrina Castellano Dent, Mel Liu, Ravinda Deo, Angel Artha. Kevin O’ Sullivan, Ron Michelstein.
Members of UCLA Balinese Gamelan “Sekar Anyar,” (New Flower), 2025:
Valerie Nicole Liman, Fiana Yuhui Tang, Dominic Morales, Henry Baskin, Ikaika Li Meilan Gunderson, Jonathan Nguyen, Selkie Jane Winter-Golden, Meredith Barnes. Lori Chiara Der Sakarian.
