Lila Cita

Lila Cita's first album is released!

2007-03-16T22:53:00.000Z

Lila Cita's long-awaited first commercial album is released from SOAS's own record label. Please go to 'CD for sale' for song titles, sample tracks and a lot more!

Forthcoming concerts - Dartington 17th May & Barnstaple Colourscape 31st May

2007-03-16T22:45:00.003Z

Lila Cita is honored to play music for Balinese topeng masters to perform the ancient masked dance/drama on Saturday 17th May at Dartington College of Arts. This concert is a part of 'Bali Unmasked' workshop (16th- 18th May), by Lunar Productions.

It's summer time and Lila Cita is very happy to be a part of Colourscape Festival again. This summer it's for the Barnstaple Festival in Exmoor. We will kick-start the festival with the baleganjur procession through the town centre. Please see 'events' page for more information.

Bali Arts Festival

2006-11-01T20:38:00.000Z

Last July, Lila Cita, accompanied by Ni Madé Pujawati & Melanie Knowles of Lila Bhawa, went to Bali to perform at the prestigious Pesta Kesenian Bali (Bali Arts Festival) in Denpasar and went on to give performances at GEOKS (Centre for Creative Arts) in Singapadu and Sanggar Cendana in Batubulan. Being the first British group to participate in the PKB, the Balinese press gave us a lot of coverage during our tour. For readers of Bahasa Indonesia, here are two articles from the BALI POST.
Lila Cita on Bali Post
Paula Friar on Bali Post Online

Here are some exclusive extracts from "Lila Cita at the Bali Arts Festival" written by our member Margaret Coldiron for Seleh Notes, the UK's only gamelan magazine. To read the whole 5 page story, subscribe to Seleh Notes for only £5 a year (UK rates). Further details from Seleh Notes.

"Lila Cita at the Bali Arts Festival"

'Sound Check'
We arrived at the Wantilan stage at 3:00 p.m. to do a sound-check and brief rehearsal feeling nervous and excited. What we had not realised was that we would have an audience. As we filed in to the building a small group of curious festival-goers had already gathered at the entrance to the hall, but this soon grew to about 50-60 people. Some sat down in the auditorium, some milled about the entrance, all of them were looking at us. We were on trial! Even our sound-check was going to have to be perfect! This was, very possibly, the most frightening 'performance' of any that we gave in Bali. If we were no good, the word would get around immediately and maybe nobody but a few western friends would turn up for the performance. We only 'topped and tailed' our pieces, but our little audience got bigger and bigger and at the end, to our delight, they applauded. We'd passed the test!

'The Performance'
The venue was packed with people. There was a sprinkling of about 10 to 15 westerners but, apart from those, the small concrete auditorium was completely filled with what seemed like a million Balinese of all ages. It was utterly thrilling. There was a palpable sense of anticipation in the air.

Balinese audiences are not like the English; they do not sit quietly, and they don't reserve judgement. When struck up the first notes of Nye Parry's 'Lila Cita' there was a burst of applause, and we knew that the audience was with us. They listened intently to determine the crispness of the kotekan and talked among themselves during the 'boring bits' (any moments that the music was slow and quiet). The audience chattered away throughout the performances, yet they were always attentive, receptive and very, very, responsive.

The photo is courtesy of baliwww.com - Bali Indonesia Blog Travel Guide

Java Quake Relief

2006-06-24T17:07:00.000+01:00

With the great generosity of our audience to the SOAS (10/6) and the St. Luke's (16/6) concerts, our Java Quake Relief campaign raised £618 in total. Thank you very much for all your donations through the collections & the Lila Cita CD sales. We have already transferred the money to 'Yogya Earthquake Relief Programme' of Yayasan IDEP Foundation, a Bali-based Indonesian NGO. Let's hope the swift recovery of Yogyakarta, one of the top gamelan capitals of the world.

Ni Made Pujawati performs Candra Kirana at SOAS, 10th June 2006.

Lila Cita Bali Tour 2006

2006-03-05T01:00:00.000Z

Official PKB Invitation

This year, Lila Cita has been invited to perform at the prestigious Bali Arts Festival as the first group to represent UK. This festival, known locally as Pesta Kesenian Bali or PKB, is the biggest showcase of Balinese visual and performing arts and is now in its 28th year. For a whole month (this year, 17 June to 15 July), artists and performers from all over Bali and selected groups from other countries will pack the busy daily programme PKB programme 2006).

Lila Cita will be on stage in Denpasar at 8pm on 8 July 2006. We will be playing both Gamelan Gong Kebyar and Gamelan Semar Pagulingan and will be the first foreign group ever to play Gamelan Semar Pegulingan at the Bali Arts Festival.

Would you like to help us get to Bali? Then, please read on to our Bali Fund.

'Pig in the Kraton' will be performed in Bali this summer!

Bali Fund

2006-03-03T13:20:00.000Z

As a self-funding, non-profitmaking music group, Lila Cita is endeavouring to finance our 2 week Bali Tour this summer. To try to cover the cost, we have launched the 'Lila Cita Bali Fund' campaign.

We have saved members' subscriptions + performance fees from our paid gigs for the last year, but sadly, this isn't enough. On top of our travel and accommodation costs, we also need to budget for gamelan and costume rental, transport for musicians and instruments etc. According to our current estimate, the total costs excluding airfares, come to over £10,000. We would deeply appreciate any private or corporate donations towards our Bali Fund.

We are available to hire for evening or weekend concerts, corporate functions, weddings, bar mitzvahs, etc. For any enquiries, please mail to: info@lilacita.com.

If you would like to make a donation, please use PayPal with your credit/debit card or send us good old-fasioned cheques. However, if you feel generous enough to donate more than £100, please choose the cheque option as PayPal will charge us more for the transaction.

To donate online:
To donate with cheques:

Please make cheques payable to 'Lilacita' and send to:

Lila Cita Bali Fund
Mr. David Peachey
Treasurer of Lila Cita
16 Clowser Close
Sutton
Surrey SM1 4TP

For further enquiries about the donation, please mail to: donations@lilacita.com.

Lila Cita Constitution

2006-03-01T19:21:00.000Z

Title

The name of the Group is Lila Cita, hereafter referred to as “the Group”. The Group consists of Members and Officers as specified below.

Objectives

The main objective of the Group is to play and promote gamelan music.

The Group shall do this through playing and performing traditional and new compositions both at home and abroad. The Group shall rehearse on a regular basis under the tutelage of its Artistic Director and shall, from time to time, employ guest musical directors in order to acquire further knowledge and experience of gamelan music. It shall also work closely with the UK-based Indonesian dance group Lila Bhawa.

The group shall be an amateur group (defined as “a group which does not support itself and its members financially on a full-time basis”) with membership through invitation from the Artistic Director.

Officers of the Group

As at 1st September 2005, the Officers of the Group shall be as follows:

• Chairman and Artistic Director Andrew Channing

• Secretary Rebecca Wells

• Treasurer David Peachey

Duties of the Officers of the Group

The Artistic Director shall be the ultimate authority responsible for the affairs of the Group. He shall uphold the Constitution, determine group membership and represent the Group to any outside organisations albeit he may choose to delegate any of these responsibilities to other Members of the group.

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the Group and shall be answerable to all Members of the Group on any matters of a financial nature. He shall be responsible for maintaining the bank accounts of the group in good order. He shall control the collection of subscriptions, performance fees and other income and the issuance of cheques to Members of the Group.

Election of the Officers of the Group

From the date of this constitution (1st September 2005) all Officers shall be elected by the Group. The election shall be arranged by a written notice to Members from the Artistic Director informing of the election date and requesting nominations. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the Members and will remain in office until they resign from their post or leave the Group. Their post shall then be opened for nominations.

General Committee

The affairs of the Group shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising any two Officers of the Group and additional Group representatives who shall meet at agreed intervals.

Duties of the General Committee

• To control those affairs of the Group not the preserve of the Officers of the Group and those affairs delegated by the Officers of the Group

• To control those affairs on behalf of all Members of the Group

• To make decisions for the Group on the basis of a simple majority vote of Committee Members

The Committee may appoint additional posts over and above those of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and appoint sub-committees as they see fit.

Election to the General Committee

In order to be on the General Committee, members of the Group must nominate themselves at the beginning of each year (which runs from 1st September to 31st August) and agree to stay in service for a minimum of one year.

All Members of the Group (with the exception of those who are already Officers of the Group) are eligible for election to the Group’s General Committee.

Membership Subscriptions and Payments to Members of the Group

Standard and concessionary subscription rates shall be determined by the Officers of the Group and shall be payable twice yearly. All Members of the Group, with the exception of the Artistic Director, shall pay the appropriate level of subscription on request of the Treasurer or his nominated representative.

Subscriptions shall be used to cover:

• The regular rehearsal fees payable to the group's Artistic Director (this excludes any performance fees which shall be payable as part of each concert's expenses)

• The fees payable to any guest Musical Directors

• The fees payable to the dance director of Lila Bwaha

• Other agreed expenses, e.g.: for equipment maintenance

The distribution to Members of the Group of remuneration for performances undertaken (net of any expenses incurred, i.e.: cost of instrument transport, artistic director's performance fees, other member expenses, etc.) shall be agreed on a case by case basis between Group members.

Amendments to this Constitution

Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by any Member of the Group and shall be discussed and ratified by a majority vote of all Members of the Group.

Dissolution of the Group

The General Committee, by a majority vote at a duly constituted meeting, may decide to dissolve the Group. They must then call a meeting of all Members of the Group. If the motion is passed by a majority vote of all Members - subject to the casting vote of the Group’s Artistic Director - the Group is then dissolved.

Lovers of Beauty Gamelan Semar Pagulingan

2006-01-02T22:59:00.000Z

Lila Cita's long-awaited first commercial album is released from SOAS's own record label. The recording was done just before our Bali tour last summer. It covers most of our Bali Arts Festival repertoire and features I Nengah Susila, our guest musical director, on Kendang (drum), Suling (flute) and Trompong on major pieces.

Titles
1. Jayaprana - sample track
2. Sekar Jagat
3. Bali Sugriwa - sample track
4. Cendrawasih
5. Candra Kirana
6. Pig in the Kraton! - sample track
7. Bali Sugriwa (a cappella)

Copyright: AHRC Centre for Cross-Cultural Music & Dance Performance, SOAS

Price: £12
P&P: FREE worldwide

Please pay with PayPal with icon above.
Also available at our concerts & through Lila Cita members.

New CD

2006-01-01T12:20:00.000Z

Titles
1. Jayaprana - sample track
2. Sekar Jagat
3. Bali Sugriwa - sample track
4. Cendrawasih
5. Candra Kirana
6. Pig in the Kraton! - sample track
7. Bali Sugriwa 'a cappella'

Copyright: AHRC Centre for Cross-Cultural Music & Dance Performance, SOAS

Price: £12
P&P: FREE worldwide

Please pay with PayPal with icon above. Don't forget to include your postal address in the message please!

Who's who in Lilacita

2005-09-20T01:00:00.000+01:00

Andy Channing - Artistic Director
The founder and artistic director of Lila Cita, Andy studied gamelan at the South Bank Centre and at STSI (the University of Indonesian Performing Arts) Surakarta, Central Java and in Bali. Since 1991 he has taught and performed Balinese and Javanese gamelan throughout the UK at arts centres, schools and universities, including the South Bank Centre, City University and SOAS. He is director of the new LSO gamelan education programme.

I Nengah Susila (Pak Susila) - Guest Musical Director
Like many professional Balinese musicians, he has been playing music ever since he could remember. His formal training began at the Indonesian Academy of Performing Arts, where his specialisms included performance and composition. Recently he has been spending several months a year in London, teaching gamelan and developing new compositions with groups at SOAS, LSO and City University.

Which Gamelan?

2005-09-19T22:25:00.000+01:00

Gong Kebyar

2005-09-18T01:00:00.000+01:00

Perhaps the best known type of Gamelan is the Gong Kebyar, the modern style which swept the island in the twentieth century. Kebyar means "like the flaring of a match" or "the bursting open of a flower" and is fast and dynamic, full of dramatic contrasts. It is a music of extreme virtuosity and complexity, involving up to thirty players.

The group takes its name, Lila Cita (meaning 'amusement of the heart', or 'happiness') from its Gong Kebyar set, made in 1998 by I Made Gabeleran of Blahbatuh, Bali. Each instrument is elaborately carved with floral patterns, guardian demons and scenes from the Ramayana epic. The set, the only gong kebyar in London, belongs to one of the group members, Dr Xerxes Mazda, and is housed at City University.

Photo&video courtesy of Danny Staples

Semar Pagulingan | Semara Dana | Angklung

Gender Wayang | Salunding | Baleganjur

Angklung

2005-09-16T01:00:00.000+01:00

Gamelan Angklung, one of the oldest Balinese Gamelans, is still very common today and is used for temple ceremonies, cremations, tooth fillings and purifications. It is small and portable and is often carried and played in procession. It employs a slendro scale of only four notes. Our Angklung is named Kembang Kirang and is housed at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS.

"Sindu Arsa" at Southbank Centre as part of "Gamelanathon"

Gong Kebyar | Semar Pagulingan | Semara Dana

Gender Wayang | Salunding | Baleganjur

Semar Pegulingan

2005-09-14T01:00:00.000+01:00

Semar pegulingan is a court gamelan dating from the 17th century which is now scarcely performed due to the dominance of gong kebyar. It is noted for the sweetness of its seven-tone scale. The set we play, named Puja Semara Kanti, was brought to London by Ni Made Pujawati and is currently housed at SOAS.

Lila Cita and Ni Made Pujawati in one of the last rehearsals in Bali before PKB performance in the suumer of 2006.

Gong Kebyar | Semara Dana | Angklung

Gender Wayang | Salunding | Baleganjur

Semara Dana

2005-09-12T01:00:00.000+01:00

Semara dana is a cross-fertilisation of the popular 5-tone gong kebyar style with the modal possibilities of the older, rarer 7-tone semar pegulingan. This ensemble first appeared in 1985, and was created by famed composer I Wayan Beratha, who combined the instruments of gong kebar and semar pegulingan. This means an enormous range of music can be played, from classical to modern. It also opens up tremendous possibilities for new composition and experimentation - super-kebyar!

The only Semara dana set in London is resident at LSO St Luke's and belongs to the LSO Discovery education programme. It was made in 2003 by I Made Gabeleran of Blahbatuh, Bali. Elaborately carved and painted, with floral patterns, guardian demons and scenes from the Ramayana, this set is named Semara Wertih or 'pure, sincere desire'.

You can learn how to play gamelan with this set at weekly sessions of LSO St Luke's Community Gamelan Group. The group meets on Monday evenings during school term time. Your first session is free; after that each session costs £5 (£3 concessions). For more information, please visit LSO site.

Lila Cita plays John Adams's 'Short Ride in a Fast Machine' - not a typical music to play on any gamelan but a good example of the versatility of Semara Dana.

Gong Kebyar | Semar Pagulingan | Angklung

Gender Wayang | Salunding | Baleganjur

Gender Wayang

2005-09-11T01:00:00.000+01:00

Gender Wayang is traditionally used to accompany Wayang Kulit (shadow play) performances. Although one of the smallest ensembles, it plays some of the most complex and technically difficult music in Bali. Four ten-key metallophones make up the complete group, although in some specialised contexts drums and gongs are added.

Segara Madu performs at Southbank Centre as part of "Gamelanathon"

Gong Kebyar | Semar Pagulingan | Semara Dana

Angklung | Salunding | Baleganjur

Salunding

2005-09-10T20:43:00.002+01:00

Salunding:

Salunding originates from the Aga village of Tengang in western Bali. The iron keys produce a unique sound - resonant with a calming sonority. With no gongs or drums, this small ensemble is less vigorous, yet more enchanting than it's cousins. The group's Salunding descends from a holy one. Legend tells us that on a stormy night, the gods rained down this first, most sacred Salunding, from which copies have been made.

A brief moment of our irregular 'sunday afternoon tea & salunding' session.

Gong Kebyar | Semar Pagulingan | Semara Dana

Angklung | Gender Wayang | Baleganjur

Baleganjur

2005-09-09T20:44:00.000+01:00

Baleganjur is the name given to the processional style of Gamelan in which the more portable instruments of the Gamelan are played on the move. The lack of keyed metallophones contributes to the unique sound of this rhythmic style. The name, meaning "Marching Army", reflects its martial origins.

No video recording of Lila Cita playing baleganjur at the moment. Here's a holiday clip of a parade for potong gigi (tooth-filing ceremony) in North West Bali.

Gong Kebyar | Semar Pagulingan | Semara Dana

Angklung | Gender Wayang | Salunding

Chronicle

2005-09-08T01:00:00.000+01:00

Lila Cita regularly performs in Britain and abroad on all types of Balinese Gamelan. Venues include the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, St. James's Palace, London Zoo, the Science Museum and many festivals such as Colourscape, the Clerkenwell Festival, and Glastonbury. A selection of our performances are listed below.

Sunday 1 July 2007
Colourscape, Clifton Park, Rotherham
Ensemble: angklung
Saturday 9 June 2007

Pendopo, South Bank Centre, London
Gamelanathon Weekend
Ensemble: angklung
* a new instrument belongs to Woodland Valley in Cornwall

Thursday 1 February 2007
Barbican Freestage, London
"Short Ride in a Fast Machine" (arr. Symon Clarke)
Part of John Adams season at Barbican
Ensemble: semara dana

Tuesday 21 November 2006
The City University, St John Street, London
World Music Concert
A joint concert with The City Middle Eastern Ensemble
Ensemble: gong kebyar

Saturday 7 October 2006
Freestage - Barbican Hall Foyer
Part of "Phases - The Music of Steve Reich"
Ensemble: angklung

Saturday 12 August 2006
Clissold Park, Stoke Newington, London
Summer Fun in Clissold Park
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

Saturday 12 August 2006
Kensington Garden bandstand, London
'Sounds of Indonesia - recital in the park'
hosted by the Indonesian Embassy
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

14 July 2006
Sanggar Cendana, Batubulan, Bali
Joint concert with Gamelan Cendana
Ensemble: gong kebyar

12 July 2006
GEOKS. Singapadu, Bali
Ensemble: gong kebyar & semar pegulingan

8 July 2006
Wantilan Stage, Bali Arts Centre, Denpasar
Event: The 28th PKB, Bali Arts Festival
Ensemble: gong kebyar & semar pegulingan

16 June 2006
Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's, London
LSO Discovery Gamelan Day
Joint concert with Sekar St Luke's (Community Gamelan Group) & Gong Muda (Gamelan Kids Club) from the LSO St Luke's Discovery Programme
Ensemble: semara dana

10 June 2006
Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London
Event: Evening of Balinese Music and Dance
Joint concert with Dharma Wanita from the Indonesian Embassy
Fund-raising concert for our Bali Tour 2006
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

16 March 2006
Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's, London
LSO Discovery Gamelan Day
Joint event with LSO St Luke's Community Gamelan Group
Ensemble: semara dana

15 March 2006
Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London
Event: Resonances of Bali
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

24 September 2005
Colourscape, Clapham Common, London
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

9 September 2005
Horniman Museum, South London
Event: Lila Cita group member Liz Hall's wedding ceremony
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

24 July 2005
The Conservatory, Barbican Art Gallery, London
Event: A part of an art installation:
Cerith Wyn Evans: Eaux d’artifice (after K.A.)
Ensemble: angklung

10 July 2005
Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's, London
LSO Discovery Gamelan Day
Joint event with LSO St Luke's Community Gamelan Group
Ensembles: semara dana, angklung & gender wayang

2 July 2005
King's Square Festival, EC1, London
Ensemble: angklung

26 June 2005
Colourscape, Gladstone Park, London
Event: "Gladstonbury Festival"
Ensemble: angklung

25 June 2005
Childwickbury Art Fair, St. Alban's
Ensemble: angklung

13 April 2005
Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London
Event: Ethnomusicology Conference
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

30 March 2005
Mansion House, London
Event: City University Chancellor's Dinner
Ensemble: angklung

17 March 2005
Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's, London
LSO Discovery Gamelan Day
Joint event with LSO St Luke's Community Gamelan Group
Ensemble: semara dana

12 March 2005
Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London
Event: An evening of Dance and Poetry for the children of Aceh
Ensemble: semar pegulingan

8 July 2004
Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's, London
LSO Discovery Gamelan Day
Joint event with LSO St Luke's Community Gamelan Group
Ensemble: semara dana

30 July 2004
London Guildhall
Outdoor performance to welcome guests to Ravi Shankar concert
Ensemble: angklung

22 November 2003
Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London
Event: 'Experience Indonesia'
Ensemble: gong kebyar

20 July 2003
Royal Festival Hall
Joint event with Alpha Beta Gamelan
Ensemble: angklung & baleganjur

10 May 2003
Corn Exchange, Newbury, Berkshire
Event: Newbury Spring Festival
Ensemble: gong kebyar

30 March 2003
Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's, London
LSO Discovery
Event: Inaugural gamelan concert for LSO St Luke's
Ensemble: gong kebyar

12 February 2003
Southwark Cathedral, London
Event: Service for victims of Bali bombing
Ensemble: angklung

14 September 2002
Colourscape, Clapham Common, London
Ensemble: angklung & baleganjur

3 August 2002
Colourscape, Museum Gardens, York
Ensemble: angklung & baleganjur

4 June 2002
The Mall, London
Event: Queen's Golden Jubilee Procession
Ensemble: baleganjur

27 April 2002
Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London
Event: 'Indonesian Music & Dance'
Ensembles: angklung, gong kebyar, baleganjur & gender wayang

30 June 2001
Colourscape, Crystal Palace Park, London
Ensemble: angklung & baleganjur

27 July 2000
SOAS, London
Event: Graduation Ceremonies
Ensemble: angklung

18 June 2000
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Event: Art Nouveau exhibition
including performance with Sadler's Wells Youth Dance Group directed by Kenneth Tharpe
Ensemble: angklung

26 May 2000
Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London
Event: An evening in Bali
Ensemble: gong kebyar & baleganjur

27 April 2000
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Event: 'Island Hopping - Javanese & Balinese Gamelan'
Joint concert with South Bank Gamelan Players
Ensemble: gong kebyar

24 March 2000
St Andrew's Church, Presteigne, Wales
Ensemble: gong kebyar & baleganjur

17 July 1999
Ballroom Floor, Royal Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, London
Event: Gamelan Summer Days
Ensemble: gong kebyar
* The first public performance with our Lila Cita instruments

27 June 1999
Avelon Stage, Pilton, Somerset
Event: Glastonbury Festival
Ensemble: angklung

30 May 1999
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Event: Rivers of Vitality Carnival Procession
Ensemble: baleganjur

20 September 1998
Colourscape, Clapham Common, London
Ensemble: angklung & baleganjur

15 July 1998
Ballroom Floor, Royal Festival Hall, London
Ensemble: angklung

20 June 1998
Dartington College of Arts, Devon
Ensembles: baleganjur, angklung & gong kebyar

21 March 1998
Royal Festival Hall London, promenade, foyer and auditaurium
Event: Roots Classical Fusions (London Philharmonic Orchestra)
Ensembles: baleganjur & angklung

10 February 1998
Holborn Centre for Performing Arts, London
Event: Pan Project new gamelan inauguration
Ensemble: angklung

23 October 1997
St Mary’s Church, Aylesbury
Event: One World Week
Ensemble: angklung

18/19 October 1997
Dartington College of Arts, Devon
Ensembles: angklung & gong kebyar

Lila Cita on Bali Post

2005-09-07T21:47:00.000+01:00

Bali Post - 15th July 2006

Lila Cita, Cita Inggris dalam Gamelan Bali

Gamelan Bali sudah tersebar di mancanegara. Di luar negeri, salah satu seni karawitan Indonesia ini dimainkan dan dijelajahi keindahan musikalnya oleh berbagai bangsa. Di arena Pesta Kesenian Bali (PKB)terlihat betapa orang-orang asing menunjukkan kebolehannya memainkan gamelan Bali. Tengok misalnya Sabtu (8/7) malam lalu, sekelompok pecinta gamelan dari London, Inggris, menabuh dua barung gamelan, Gong Kebyar dan Semarapagulingan, di Wantilan Taman Budaya Denpasar. Sungguh mencengangkan, mereka terlihat cukup terampil.

JIKA, di Bali sebuah kelompok penabuh biasanya berjenis kelamin sama, namun sekaa gamelan dari Inggris ini campuran pria dan wanita. Mereka menyebut kelompoknya Lila Cita. Memang, mereka tampakna bertandang ke Bali dengan senang hati, suka cita. Betapa mereka yang pada umumnya bukan pemusik ini menabuh gamelan dengan ekspresi yang berseri-seri. Memakai seragam baju berwarna merah hati, kian membersitkan kegirangan hati mereka mencumbu sebuah nilai budaya Bali yang menambat hati.

Grup gamelan Lila Cita yang dipimpin Andy Channing ini mengawali penampilannya dengan tabuh bertajuk "Lila Cita" dengan media Gong Kebyar. Bertempo sedang naik turun, melodi yang mengalir tenang dalam sebuah untaian harmoni, mengekspresikan cita rasa Inggris yang santun dalam ungkapan tulus gamelan Bali. Komposisi yang berdurasi sekitar lima menit ini terasa merupakan representasi ungkapan batin mereka dalam mencintai jagat seni, salah satu musik dunia yaitu gamelan Bali. Setelah sempat mempelajari gamelan Angklung, Grup Gamelan Lila Cita yang bermarkas di London ini, sejak 1997 menggeluti Gong Kebyar. Malam itu mereka mengiringi tari Sekar Jagat, Cendrawasih, dan tari Kebyar Duduk. Tari Sekar Jagat dan Cendrawasih karya cipta Swasthi Widjaja Bandem ini dibawakan oleh para penari andal Bali seperti Nyoman Cipta Wiliawati, Ida Ayu Made Setiawati, Lucia, Era, dan lain-lainnya. Tetapi Kebyar Duduk karya monumental I Mario disajikan oleh seorang wanita Inggris, Melanie Knowles, dengan penuh percaya diri. Kendati tongkrongannya yang agak jangkung kurang ideal untuk tari Bali, tapi ia tampil dengan ekspresif sehingga sempat mengundang tepuk tangan penonton.

Dari ensambel Gong Kebyar, para penabuh Lila Cita ini kemudian berpindah kepada gamelan Semarapagulingan. Lewat gamelan yang bersuara renyah dan merdu ini mereka mengiringi tari Candra Kirana. Suba1i-Sugriwa pragmen Jayaprana, dan tari Babi. Keterampilan para penabuh Inggris ini niemainkan gamelan Bali yang di zaman kerajaan dipakai untuk menciptakan suasana tenteram dan mesra di keraton ini, patut dipuji Sistem tangga nada tujuh nada gamelan ini mampu mereka jelajahi dengan cukup baik. Tari Candra Kirana yang romantis dan pragmen tari Jayapnana yang tragismelankolis yang ditata Pujawati, seorang seniwati Bali alumnus ISI Denpasar, hadir memikat dalam sanggaan iringan Semarapagulingan nan apik.

Lewat Semarapagulingan pula grup gamelan dari daratan Eropa ini menutup penampilannya secara humoris. Tani Babi yang bendurasi sekitar lima menit mengguncang gelak tawa penonton. Tari yang dibawakan secana tunggal oleh seniman I Ketut Suanda yang lebih dikenal sebagai pegiat seni pentunjukan tawa dengan nama Cedil ini, benkisah tentang seekor babi mistenius yang muncul pada suatu malam di sebuah kenaton. Tingkah polah babi yang jenaka dan nakal membuat suasana jadi riang. Para penabuh yang mengiringi dengan memakai kaca mata hitam tampak bermain dengan girang. Penonton terpingkal-pingkal ketika sang babi tenlentang dengan ekornya yang berujung merah terjepit paha menyembul ke atas.

Ini adalah penampilan pertama sebuah grup gamelan dan Inggris di arena PKB. Sebelumnya kelompok gamelan dari Amerika Serikat seperti Sekar Jaya dan grup gamelan dari Jepun separti Sekar Jepun telah beberapa unjuk kemampuan di tengah masyarakat Bali. Padahal Inggris adalah bangsa asing yang paling awal mendatangkan gamelan ke negerinya. Thomas Stamford Raffles, gubernur kolonial Inggris di Jawa (1811-1816) adalah orang pertama yang yang membawa gamelan ke lnggris Raya pada tahun 1816 yaitu dua penangkat gamelan Jawa pelog-slendro. Gamelan Raffles, di Claydon House dan yang di Museum of Mankind di London, hingga kini terawat dengan baik sebagai objek-objek museum yang tak ternilai.

Penkembangan gamelan di Inggnis tak kalah dengan negara-negara yang sudah terlebih dahulu mengimpor musik Indonesia tensebut seperti, Amenika Serikat, Belanda, dan Jepang. Di beberapa universitas di London, gamelan juga sudah dijadikan subjek di departemen musik. Di City University, misalnya, ada tiga jenis gamelan yaitu gamelan Jawa, Bali dan Sunda. Saat ini gamelan juga dapat dipelajari di beberapa universitas tenkenal Inggnis seperti Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Queens, Dartington dan lainlainnya yang di antaranya ada yang memasukkannya sebagai kunikulum world music.

Susila, seonang komposer Bali yang bolak-balik London-Bali mengajar grup Lila Cita mengangankan pada tahun-tahun mendatang Inggris akan hadir lebih heboh di arena PKB atau di tengah masyanakat Bali. Menurut alumnus ISI Denpasar kelahiran Pagutan, Batubulan ini, harapan itu sangat menjanjikan melihat minat terhadap gamelan, baik dalam konteks ilimiah akademis maupun dalam realita perhatian yang antusias mempelajari gamelan Bali secara praktis tumbuh menggembirakan di sana. Debut grup gamelan Lila Cita di forum PKB tahun 2006 ini, bukan tak mungkin akan diikuti oleh grup-grup gamelan Inggris lainnya.

By Kadek Suartaya

The certificate of our PKB participation

Events

2005-09-06T21:30:00.004+01:00

Children of all ages are welcome to any of our concerts.
(*The level of sound volume might not be suitable to very little ones.)

"Bali Unmasked"

Topeng, Masked dance/drama performance
Studio 30, Dartington Hall Estate, Devon
Saturday, 17th May 2008
Starting: 7:30pm
Ticket: £7.50 (Conc. £5)
Lila Cita is honored to perform with the Topeng masters from Bali as part of 'Bali Unmasked', the three day workshop/performance programme, hosted at Dartington College of Arts by Lunar Productions. Please go to Lunar Productions website for all the information.

Colourscape Festival

Castle Green, Barnstaple, Exmoor
Saturday, 31st May 2008
12pm to 5pm

£4 Adults / £2 Children / £10 Family ticket

(for Colourscape entrance)
Lila Cita will process through the town centre of Barnstaple with baleganjur to the Colourscape site, then play angklung (on and off) for the whole afternoon. Please come and meet us!

You can learn how to play gamelan with semara dana ensemble at weekly sessions of LSO St Luke's Community Gamelan Group. The group meets on Monday evenings during school term. Your first session is free; after that each session costs £5 (£3 concessions). For more information, please visit LSO site.

The beautiful GEOKS theatre, Bali where we performed in July 2006

15.07.2006 Bali Post

2005-09-05T19:40:00.000+01:00

Bali Post Sat 15 July 2006

Lila Cita, Cita Inggris dalam Gamelan Bali

Gamelan Bali sudah tersebar di mancanegara. Di luar negeri, salah satu seni karawitan Indonesia ini dimainkan dan dijelajahi keindahan musikalnya oleh berbagai bangsa. Di arena Pesta Kesenian Bali (PKB)terlihat betapa orang-orang asing menunjukkan kebolehannya memainkan gamelan Bali. Tengok misalnya Sabtu (8/7) malam lalu, sekelompok pecinta gamelan dari London, Inggris, menabuh dua barung gamelan, Gong Kebyar dan Semarapagulingan, di Wantilan Taman Budaya Denpasar. Sungguh mencengangkan, mereka terlihat cukup terampil.

JIKA, di Bali sebuah kelompok penabuh biasanya berjenis kelamin sama, namun sekaa gamelan dari Inggris ini campuran pria dan wanita. Mereka menyebut kelompoknya Lila Cita. Memang, mereka tampakna bertandang ke Bali dengan senang hati, suka cita. Betapa mereka yang pada umumnya bukan pemusik ini menabuh gamelan dengan ekspresi yang berseri-seri. Memakai seragam baju berwarna merah hati, kian membersitkan kegirangan hati mereka mencumbu sebuah nilai budaya Bali yang menambat hati.

Grup gamelan Lila Cita yang dipimpin Andy Channing ini mengawali penampilannya dengan tabuh bertajuk "Lila Cita" dengan media Gong Kebyar. Bertempo sedang naik turun, melodi yang mengalir tenang dalam sebuah untaian harmoni, mengekspresikan cita rasa Inggris yang santun dalam ungkapan tulus gamelan Bali. Komposisi yang berdurasi sekitar lima menit ini terasa merupakan representasi ungkapan batin mereka dalam mencintai jagat seni, salah satu musik dunia yaitu gamelan Bali. Setelah sempat mempelajari gamelan Angklung, Grup Gamelan Lila Cita yang bermarkas di London ini, sejak 1997 menggeluti Gong Kebyar. Malam itu mereka mengiringi tari Sekar Jagat, Cendrawasih, dan tari Kebyar Duduk. Tari Sekar Jagat dan Cendrawasih karya cipta Swasthi Widjaja Bandem ini dibawakan oleh para penari andal Bali seperti Nyoman Cipta Wiliawati, Ida Ayu Made Setiawati, Lucia, Era, dan lain-lainnya. Tetapi Kebyar Duduk karya monumental I Mario disajikan oleh seorang wanita Inggris, Melanie Knowles, dengan penuh percaya diri. Kendati tongkrongannya yang agak jangkung kurang ideal untuk tari Bali, tapi ia tampil dengan ekspresif sehingga sempat mengundang tepuk tangan penonton.

Dari ensambel Gong Kebyar, para penabuh Lila Cita ini kemudian berpindah kepada gamelan Semarapagulingan. Lewat gamelan yang bersuara renyah dan merdu ini mereka mengiringi tari Candra Kirana. Suba1i-Sugriwa pragmen Jayaprana, dan tari Babi. Keterampilan para penabuh Inggris ini niemainkan gamelan Bali yang di zaman kerajaan dipakai untuk menciptakan suasana tenteram dan mesra di keraton ini, patut dipuji Sistem tangga nada tujuh nada gamelan ini mampu mereka jelajahi dengan cukup baik. Tari Candra Kirana yang romantis dan pragmen tari Jayapnana yang tragismelankolis yang ditata Pujawati, seorang seniwati Bali alumnus ISI Denpasar, hadir memikat dalam sanggaan iringan Semarapagulingan nan apik.

Lewat Semarapagulingan pula grup gamelan dari daratan Eropa ini menutup penampilannya secara humoris. Tani Babi yang bendurasi sekitar lima menit mengguncang gelak tawa penonton. Tari yang dibawakan secana tunggal oleh seniman I Ketut Suanda yang lebih dikenal sebagai pegiat seni pentunjukan tawa dengan nama Cedil ini, benkisah tentang seekor babi mistenius yang muncul pada suatu malam di sebuah kenaton. Tingkah polah babi yang jenaka dan nakal membuat suasana jadi riang. Para penabuh yang mengiringi dengan memakai kaca mata hitam tampak bermain dengan girang. Penonton terpingkal-pingkal ketika sang babi tenlentang dengan ekornya yang berujung merah terjepit paha menyembul ke atas.

Ini adalah penampilan pertama sebuah grup gamelan dan Inggris di arena PKB. Sebelumnya kelompok gamelan dari Amerika Serikat seperti Sekar Jaya dan grup gamelan dari Jepun separti Sekar Jepun telah beberapa unjuk kemampuan di tengah masyarakat Bali. Padahal Inggris adalah bangsa asing yang paling awal mendatangkan gamelan ke negerinya. Thomas Stamford Raffles, gubernur kolonial Inggris di Jawa (1811-1816) adalah orang pertama yang yang membawa gamelan ke lnggris Raya pada tahun 1816 yaitu dua penangkat gamelan Jawa pelog-slendro. Gamelan Raffles, di Claydon House dan yang di Museum of Mankind di London, hingga kini terawat dengan baik sebagai objek-objek museum yang tak ternilai.

Penkembangan gamelan di Inggnis tak kalah dengan negara-negara yang sudah terlebih dahulu mengimpor musik Indonesia tensebut seperti, Amenika Serikat, Belanda, dan Jepang. Di beberapa universitas di London, gamelan juga sudah dijadikan subjek di departemen musik. Di City University, misalnya, ada tiga jenis gamelan yaitu gamelan Jawa, Bali dan Sunda. Saat ini gamelan juga dapat dipelajari di beberapa universitas tenkenal Inggnis seperti Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Queens, Dartington dan lainlainnya yang di antaranya ada yang memasukkannya sebagai kunikulum world music.

Susila, seonang komposer Bali yang bolak-balik London-Bali mengajar grup Lila Cita mengangankan pada tahun-tahun mendatang Inggris akan hadir lebih heboh di arena PKB atau di tengah masyanakat Bali. Menurut alumnus ISI Denpasar kelahiran Pagutan, Batubulan ini, harapan itu sangat menjanjikan melihat minat terhadap gamelan, baik dalam konteks ilimiah akademis maupun dalam realita perhatian yang antusias mempelajari gamelan Bali secara praktis tumbuh menggembirakan di sana. Debut grup gamelan Lila Cita di forum PKB tahun 2006 ini, bukan tak mungkin akan diikuti oleh grup-grup gamelan Inggris lainnya.

By Kadek Suartaya

About us

2005-09-04T01:00:00.000+01:00

UK's premier Balinese Gamelan performing group, Lila Cita was founded as Kembang Kirang in 1992 by Andy Channing to specialise in playing Balinese gamelan music. The group has played throughout the UK and abroad including performances at the Fondacion la Caixa in Barcelona, St James's Palace, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Glastonbury Festival. In July 2006, Lila Cita achieved a successful Bali Tour, which climaxed with a performance at the prestigious PKB, Bali Arts Festival, in Denpasar.

Who's who in Lila Cita:

Andy Channing - Founder / Artistic Director
Founder and artistic director of Lila Cita, Andy Channing studied gamelan at the South Bank Centre and at STSI (the University of Indonesian Performing Arts) Surakarta, Central Java and in Bali. Since 1991 he has taught and performed Balinese and Javanese gamelan throughout the UK at arts centres, schools and universities, including the South Bank Centre, City University and SOAS. He is director of the new LSO gamelan education programme.

I Nengah Susila (Pak Susila) - Guest Musical Director
Like many professional Balinese musicians, he has been playing music ever since he could remember. His formal training began at the Indonesian Academy of Performing Arts, where his specialisms included performance and composition. Recently he has been spending several months a year in London, teaching gamelan and developing new compositions with groups at SOAS, LSO and City University.

Lila Cita Constitution >>

Lila Bhawa

2005-09-02T18:27:00.000+01:00

Lila Bhawa is a UK-based Indonesian dance group, specializing in classical dances of Bali and Java. Lila Bhawa was set up by the Balinese choreographer, Ni Madé Pujawati in London in 2001 and includes a number of experienced performers in the Balinese and Javanese dance repertoire, as well as younger dancers who have started learning dance in the UK. Lila Bhawa also invites leading dancers from Indonesia to perform with them. In July 2006, Lila Bhawa, together with Lila Cita, toured Bali with their original as well as traditional dance repertoire. Lila Bhawa can perform with recorded music as an independent entity, as well as, of course, to accompany Lila Cita's live gamelan music.

To contact Lila Bhawa:
Ni Madé Pujawati
e-mail: madepuja at aol dot com
mobile: 07794-414642 (new number!)

->who's who in lila bhawa

Creating 'Jayaprana'

Member profiles

2005-09-01T18:30:00.000+01:00

Ni Madé Pujawati (Puja) - Artistic Director

Puja started dancing at the age of six in Tegallalang and is a graduate of both the National Conservatory of Music and the Indonesian Academy of Performing Arts. Apart from her performances of virtuoso dances, she is recognized for her singing and dancing in different roles in Balinese dance-opera, Arja. During Lila Cita & Lila Bhawa's 2006 Bali Tour, Balinese audience gave a huge applause for Jayaprana and Candra Kirana dance both of which Puja choreographed and performed herself. To Ni Madé Pujawati homepage

Arja 'Katemu ring Tampaksiring'

Melanie Knowles

Melanie Knowles has studied and performed an eclectic mix of dance genres from flamenco to tribal style belly dance. In 1993, she was fortunate enough to receive the Shansi Memorial Fellowship which took her to Yogyakarta, Central Java, where she studied Balinese dance intensively and the contemporary Javanese choreography of Didik Nini Thowok. She then went on to study and perform Balinese dance in Honolulu, Hawaii, and San Francisco, California with Gamelan Sekar Jaya. In Spring 2001, she began dancing with Ni Madé Pujawati and has performed with the Lila Bhawa dance troupe at the Michaelis Theatre, Roehampton; the Jerwood Hall at St Luke’s and the School of Oriental and African Studies. Melanie played the title role in Euripides’ Hippolytos which toured the East Coast of the United States during the Spring of 2004. She holds an MA in Dance Studies from the University of Surrey, Guildford. Her dissertation, which explores female dance roles and the manner in which women are represented in Balinese dance, was awarded a mark of distinction. Her performance of the virtuoso solo Kebyar Deduk was met with enthusiasm during Lila Cita & Lila Bhawa's 2006 Bali tour.

Gillian Roberts

Gill trained and worked for several years as an actor before studying dance theatre in Indonesia. She made her Balinese dance début with Lila Bhawa and also specializes in performing and teaching Javanese dance. Her work includes appearances with leading gamelan groups in the UK and Ireland, choreography for a BBC2 ‘Reputations’ documentary about Mata Hari, mask dance coaching for principals in the first-run cast of ‘The Lion King’ in the West End, and articles on dance for a number of publications including the Contemporary Theatre Review and Seleh Notes, the UK gamelan newsletter. She has studied Balinese dance and tembang with Ni Madé Pujawati since 2000.

Wayan Melayu (Din)

Din started learning Balinese dance in 2000 under the tutelage of Ni Madé Pujawati. He earned his wings in Olèg Tamulilingan (the Bumblebee Dance) at the SOAS Alumni Open Day in Summer 2000. He teaches Malay/Indonesian language and culture at the Language Centre SOAS.

Margaret Coldiron (Jiggs)

Jiggs trained at the Drama Centre, London and works as a performer, teacher and director. She holds a PhD in Drama from Royal Holloway and writes on Asian performance and masks. She's the auther of 'Trance and Transformation of the Actor in Japanese Noh and Balinese Dance Drama' (Edwin Mellen Press, 2004 - more details) She studied Balinese Topeng carving and dance in Bali and is a student of Ni Madé Pujawati in London. She plays gamelan with Lila Cita as well.

Juli Widjajanti

Juli has studied and performed Balinese dancing from the age of nine at The Sanggar Tari Komplek Hankam in Kelapa Dua, West Java, Indonesia where she lived until 1990. As of 2005 she started to retrain herself under the guidance of Ni Made Pujawati. Then at the beginning of 2006 she joined Lila Bhawa.

Hanna Sastrawan

Hanna is Balinese and started learning Balinese dance at the age of seven. Although she has graduated as a medical doctor, she has continued to perform Balinese dance. Since 2004 she has been studying dance with Ni Madé Pujawati.

Savitri Sastrawan (Vitri)

Vitri was born in Bali in 1990. She started leaning Balinese dance when she was seven and made her first performance the same year. From 1998 to 2001 she studied dance in Bali with the will-known dancer Wayan Arini Alit. Since 2004 she has been learning the dance with Ni Madé Pujawati.

Damaiyanti Sastrawan (Yanti)

Yanti was born in New York in 1991. She started learning Balinese dance at the age of eight with Wayan Arini Alit. Since 2004 she has been learning the dance with Ni Madé Pujawati.