Since forming in 2011, Gamelan Yowana Sari has been a performing Balinese Art Ensemble in residence at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, NYC. Under the direction of Michael Lipsey and Fred Trumpy, Yowana Sari have toured Bali multiple times, studying and performing under the master composer and musician I Dewa Ketut Alit in Pengosekan, Bali.
The trajectory of the ensemble has been exciting, having performed on major festivals in the US, including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention 2017 in Indiana, the River-to-River Festival, Make Music NY Festival, and the Asheville Percussion Festival. GYS have a long lasting relationship with Midori and Friends and Queens County’s CASA program (Cultural After School Adventures). The group works with public school students on team-building activities through gamelan-based percussion music. The music of a community, along with the teachers, allow the students to create music for cartoons and engage in other performance-related activities.
The gamelan have the pleasure of studying under I Dewa Ketut Alit, I Gusti Komin Darta, Ida Bagus Made Widnyana (Gusde), I Dewa Putu Rai and I Dewa Sakura.
The group’s interest includes the rich traditions of Balinese compositions as well as contemporary works by composers, such as Gusti Komin Darta, Glenn Kotche, Billy Martin, Evan Ziporyn, Dewa Alit, Steve Reich, Vivian Fung, Alida Torres, Chris Mulz and Pak Windha.
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Photograph taken at Asheville Percussion Festival, June 2019