Lila Cita

Gong Kebyar concert at City next week

2012-01-23T06:30:00.010Z

Please come to City University next Tuesday to see our joint concert with City Univ students. A great chance to see the standard gong kebyar ensemble in action. FREE ADMISSION and no need of booking. Lila Bhawa dance company will be accompanying all our dance pieces - Panyembrama, Topeng Tua and Trunajaya.

Date: Tuesday 31st January 2012
Time: 7pm - 8:30pm
Venue: City University College Building, Performance Space, St John Street, London EC1V 4PB

More details on Facebook

Back at LSO St Luke's

2011-03-12T17:25:00.010Z

If you've missed the Gamelan Weekend at Southbank Centre in August or the October concert at SOAS for the launch of British Gamelan Trail Project, the next chance to see us is this Friday 18th November at LSO St Luke's. Please go to our EVENT page for the details.

at Southbank Gamelan Weekend in August, courtesy of Southbank Centre Gamelan

Lila Cita at Royal Opera House!

2009-06-05T00:08:00.014+01:00

On 4th and 5th September 2010, Lila Cita performed at the Royal Opera House for the first time. The event was the wonderful Delitte Ignite 2010 festival.

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!

bali arts festival

2006-11-01T00:00:00.000Z

In July 2006, 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. (Both in Bahasa Indonesia.)
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 magazine has since been merged into the website, UK Gamelan Network, but the back issues are still available through Seleh Notes website.

"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

Lila Cita Bali Tour 2006

2006-03-05T01:00:00.001Z

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!

Lovers of Beauty Gamelan Semar Pagulingan

2006-01-02T22:59:00.001Z

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
2. Sekar Jagat
3. Bali Sugriwa
4. Cendrawasih
5. Candra Kirana
6. Pig in the Kraton!
7. Bali Sugriwa (a cappella)

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

Price: £12
P&P: FREE worldwide

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?

2005-09-19T22:25:00.002+01:00

Many varieties of Balinese gamelan exist in Bali.
Lila Cita plays and performs the following ensembles:

Gong Kebyar

2005-09-18T01:00:00.001+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.

at Royal Opera House Deloitte Ignite 2010

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

2005-09-14T01:00:00.001+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

2005-09-12T01:00:00.001+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.

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

2005-09-10T20:43:00.003+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.

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

2005-09-08T01:00:00.002+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.

17 May 2008

'Bali Unmasked' - Concert for Topeng dance workshop

Dartington College of Arts
Ensemble: gong kebyar

31 May 2008
Colourscape, Barnstaple, Exmoor
Ensemble: angklung

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

2005-09-07T21:47:00.001+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

15.07.2006 Bali Post

2005-09-05T19:40:00.001+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

2005-09-04T01:00:00.002+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

2005-09-02T18:27:00.001+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

->who's who in lila bhawa

Creating 'Jayaprana'

Events

2005-09-01T21:30:00.016+01:00

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

Saturday, 31st March 2012

Joint Concert with Lila Bhawa Dance Company

& St Luke's Community Gamelan Group

Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's

Starting: 7:30pm

Admission: £7 (£5 concession)

Lila Cita's regular concert at LSO St. Luke's, performing on it's Gamelan Semaradana. Booking is essential as this popular event often fills up the venue's 400 seating capacity. We are still working on the programme - watch this space! More information on St Luke's website

Monday evenings

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 £6 (£4 concessions). For more information, please visit Discovery Programme.

Dancer profiles

2005-09-01T18:30:00.014+01:00

Ni Madé Pujawati (Puja) - Artistic Director

Puja started dancing at the age of six in Tegallalang, Bali, and is a graduate of both the National Conservatory of Music and the Indonesian Institute of Arts. Apart from working with Lila Cita, she also performs Javanese dance with the Southbank Gamelan Players and cross-Asian dance roles with FIPA (the Foundation of Indian Performing Arts). She has performed widely in Europe and the USA and with Lila Cita at the Bali Arts Festival in 2006. To Ni Madé Pujawati homepage

Arja 'Katemu ring Tampaksiring'

Current members (in alphabetical order)

Mamiko Ali

Mamiko has been trained in classical music from the age of five and studied Music Education at Miyagi University of Education in Sendai, Japan. There she was introduced to Gamelan in a university class where she studied with Guning Jati. After graduating she took up Balinese dance and has visited Bali several times to study dance with Ni Gusti Agung Susilawati and Gender Wayang with I Wayan Suweca.

Saryani Asmayawati

Saryani Asmayawati was born in West Java, Indonesia. She started learning and performing Balinese dance at Sanggar Tari Gita Saraswati, Bandung at the age of ten. She learned Sundanese dance at a young age and was a member of Lingkung Seni Sunda at Institut Teknologi Bandung.

Kathryn Barker

Kathryn Barker began dancing at the age of two, studying classical ballet and tap. Between 2000 and 2003 she danced with Dartflight Dance Company, performing regularly in South Devon, including Plymouth Contemporary Arts Festival. In 2002 she travelled to Bali to study Balinese dance with Ibu Raka in Ubud.

Margaret 'Jiggs' Coldiron

Jiggs trained as an actress at the Drama Centre, London and studied Topeng dance and mask carving in Bali. A specialist in Asian performance and masks, she works as a performer, teacher, theatre director and researcher. She's the auther of 'Trance and Transformation of the Actor in Japanese Noh and Balinese Dance Drama' (Mellen Press, 2004 - more details) and teaches on the BA in World Performance at East 15 Ating School. She was back in Bali last year to study Gambuh court dance drama.

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.

Reka Martin

Reka was born in Budapest, Hungary. She became interested in Asian culture and dance at the age of 20 and joined Kirana Dance Group. She spent a year in Java in 2007 at the Education University of Indonesia in Bandung, graduating in Sundanese dance and pencak silat martial art.

Elan Mottley

Elan has been interested in music from an early age, learning various instruments and singing. She attended performing arts college, focussing on popular music. She recently completed a music degree at SOAS, where she began playing Balinese gamelan in 2008.

Andrea Rutkowski

Andrea began learning and performing Indonesian dances at the age of eight with the group Kridha Budaya Sari in Stuttgart, Germany. Journeys to Indonesia have enabled her to take further dance lessons. With the group Pesona Indonesia in Frankfurt she has extended her tradition-based repertoire with modern folk dance.

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 specialises 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.

Kate Wakeling

Kate recently completed a PhD from SOAS on the construction of Balinese gamelan music theory. She began learning Balinese dance in London with Ni Madé Pujawati in 2006 and continued her studies in Bali in 2007. Last year she received a Finzi Trust scholarship to studay Bharatanatyam dance and Carnartic flute in Tamil Nadu.

Juli Widjajanti Gusler
Juli was born in West Java, Indonesia. She started learning and performing Balinese dance at the age of nine at The Sanggar Tari Komplek Hankam in Kelapa Dua, West Java, Indonesia where she lived until 1990. Since 2005 she has retrained under the guidance of Ni Madé Pujawati.

OBs - dancers currently not dancing (mostly moved abroad)

but we remember you all!

Shigeko Morita

Shigeko lived in Jakarta from 1981 to 1991 and from 1995 to 1998. She began learning Balinese dance in 1984 at classes in Sanggar Tari Bali Judy-Chandra in Jakarta, and took private lessons in Singaraja, Bali. While she was in London for her degrees at SOAS, she studied the dance further with Ni Madé Pujawati.

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.

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.

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

2005-08-03T22:45:00.000+01:00

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.