Tag Archives: Durham gamelan

Durham Gamelan at Arts on the Green 2018

As part of an event organised by Music Durham and Durham Festival of the Arts, we played in an outdoor concert in brilliant sunshine on 9th June, alongside a selection of brass and concert bands. There were also workshops in circus skills and face-painting — and a gamelan workshop for the audience to learn a piece of Javanese music after we’d finished our performance.

: Rehearsal and set up

: Having a quick rest in between set-up and performance – while listening to the brass band

: …a bit more practice…

: View from the Playpen

: Does playing the gong make everyone smile?

: Yes (based on a sample of two, anyway)

: After our performance, the audience gets a go

: Gamelan workshop

: …more workshop…

: …meanwhile, some of us were loitering at the back learning about the suling

Durham Gamelan Installed in Dunelm House

The gamelan is now installed and set up in Dunelm House. Today we had our first rehearsal in the new space, getting ready for a performance on Saturday…

Gamelan rehearsal in Dunelm House, Durham

We’re Moving…

Kempul waiting to be loaded into the van

Last weekend a team of Durham gamelan players packed up the instruments and associated equipment and moved them out of Durham Observatory, where they’ve been for the last few years, and into Dunelm House where our new space is being made ready for us over the Easter holidays.

While we’ll miss the Observatory and its picturesque surroundings, this will be an easier venue to reach for anyone based in central Durham, as it’s a lot closer, and not located at the top of a hill. We’ll post another update once we’re properly moved in…