The Top Hat is happy to welcome Gamelan Manik Harum for a FREE Family Friendly Friday performance on April 6, 2018.
Gamelan Manik Harum is a community gamelan in Missoula, Montana welcoming all who wish to dedicate themselves to practice regularly, play and perform Balinese Gamelan angklung music together. Gamelan angklung is a traditional Balinese ensemble with mostly bronze metallophone instruments comprising a percussion orchestra. Gamelan Manik Harum was established in 2007 by Dorothy Morrison, musical director, and was named on a full moon, total lunar eclipse night February 21, 2008 by Balinese Master Musician I Made Lasmawan. Pak Made, sometimes along with his wife Balinese Master Dancer Ni Ketut Marniand sons Putu, Ade and Aji, has done fourteen music and dance residencies in Missoula with the group. The name Manik Harum can be translated as “a powerful force that gives you a good feeling like a pleasant aroma”.
Dorothy also uses Gamelan angklung in her music classroom at Lewis and Clark Elementary School and has worked with Pak Made in establishing Kocong! a 5th grade student performing group as well as a student Balaganjur or marching gamelan and has performed Kecak a Balinese dance and vocal chant, and Baris a boys dance. Gamelan Manik Harum has collaborated in performances with Lewis and Clark Elementary School students, Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre School, Missoula area dancers organized by Faith Morrison, Sentinel High School art students, Ewam Sang-ngag Ling, and Sussex School art students. Some members of Manik Harum have collaborated on Electric Gamelan and other members are learning and practicing Gamelan gender wayang or shadow puppet music and have formed a small ensemble known as Alas Harum (which can be translated as “aroma of the forest”). Manik Harum also performs Balaganjur or marching gamelan. Gamelan Manik Harum has experimented with some site specific performances. The group gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: The Aaron Bolton Memorial Project; The Missoula Cultural Council; The Montana Arts Council; the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (Los Angeles); and the Lewis and Clark Elementary School PTA. Twelve members of Gamelan Manik Harum have traveled to Bali and studied with Pak Made and his family in their home village.