School of Music students take to the Clothworkers stage to perform music for Indonesian Gamelan and Korean Gayageum.
Directed by Ángel Cataño Flores, students will perform a collection of traditional and contemporary repertoire on the School of Music’s Javanese Gamelan. This set of bronze gongs and metallophones, named "The Golden Thread" in reference to Leeds’ strong connections with the textile industry, was hand-crafted in the court city of Surakarta in Central Java twenty-two years ago.
The Gayageum (가야금) is a traditional Korean string instrument with a rich and storied history. Led by Dr Hyunah Cho, the performance will explore a variety of Korean folk songs, including Arirang and Doraji, which evoke deep emotions and reflect the cultural narratives of the Korean people. The music played on the Gayageum offers a unique and captivating experience, highlighting the essence of Korean musical heritage.
Programme
Gamelan Lancaran Bèndrong, laras sléndro pathet manyurå
Ladrang Westminster, laras sléndro pathet sångå - K. P. H. Notoprojo
Lancaran Singa Nebah, laras sléndro pathet manyurå
Gangsaran and improvisation, laras sléndro
Gayageum Amazing Grace
Arirang
Milyang Arirang
Doraji
Home Alone on Aisle – Sum-jib Agi
Auld Lang Syne
Hwimori in Sanjo (Kim Jook Pa School
Rain, Among the Forest (Sup, 숲, 1962) – Hwang Byung-Gi
The Golden Thread Gamelan
Gamelan is one of the traditional musical genres found in Indonesia, predominantly on the islands of Java and Bali. The instruments you will see and hear today are from Java and were handmade in the court city of Surakarta (Solo), a key city in the Central Region of the island twenty-two years ago. This gamelan, named ‘The Golden Thread’ in reference to Yorkshire’s textile history and the wool trade in Leeds, uses one of the two tuning systems available in traditional Javanese gamelan – a pentatonic (5-note) scale named sléndro.
Lancaran Bèndrong, laras sléndro pathet manyurå - traditional
Lancaran are short and quick compositions from the Central Javanese gamelan repertoire, with several ‘small gong cycles’ of 16 beats each contained within a ‘big gong cycle’.
Ladrang Westminster, laras sléndro pathet sångå - K. P. H. Notoprojo
Ladrang refers to a wide variety of gamelan pieces which have in common the structure of 32 beats of the core melody between strokes on the large gong, and are typically in two main sections. As a traditional piece for Central Javanese Gamelan, Ladrang Westminster is a great example of the rich tradition and techniques experienced in the Gamelan. This piece was composed by the gamelan maestro K. P. H. Notoprojo, and as the legend goes he was inspired by a very familiar chime he heard on his alarm clock!
Lancaran Singa Nebah, laras sléndro pathet manyurå - traditional
‘Singanebah’, which means ‘pouncing lion’, is another piece in lancaran form, just like Bèndrong previously. In this performance of Lancaran Singanebah, we will alternate between the basic version of the piece and a variation that includes a faster-moving counter-melody in the balungan (glockenspiel-like instruments).
Gangsaran and improvisation, laras sléndro - traditional
Gangsaran is a traditional piece that imitates the repertoire of older gamelans, which had fewer instruments and a more limited pitch range than the set you see and hear today. The piece is based on a short, 16-beat, repeating structure, made up of various layers of instrumental parts. Using gangsaran as a starting point, the group will close our half of the concert with a playful improvisation with instruments weaving in and out of the traditional piece.
Gamelan performers
Ashruta Mani
Em Whitehead
Holden Asadi
Henry Parsons
Ivan Berenyi
Louis Stephenson
Mehar-Jot Sagoo
Nicole Issa
Qiyao Xu
Led by:
Ángel Cataño Flores
Gayageum
The Gayageum
The gayageum is a traditional Korean stringed instrument, typically featuring 12 strings, though variations with up to 25 strings exist. It is played by plucking the strings with the fingers, producing a rich, resonant sound. As one of Korea'smost iconic instruments, the gayageum is integral to both solo performances and ensemble settings, contributing to a wide range of genres, from gugak (traditional Korean music) to contemporary fusion works.
A particularly significant style is gayageum sanjo, a solo performance genre that highlights the instrument’s expressive range and technical brilliance. The gayageum holds deep cultural significance, its sound embodying the essence of Korean identity, especially in traditional music and ceremonies. Today, we invite you to experience a diverse selection of music, including Korean folk songs, contemporary gayageum compositions influenced by Western styles, and a glimpse into the sanjo tradition.
The Janggu
The janggu (also known as changgo or janggo) is a traditional Korean drum and one of the most recognizableinstruments in Korean music. Its hourglass shape allows for dynamic, expressive rhythms, played with two sticks—one producing deep, resonant tones and the other creating sharp, high-pitched accents.
The janggu plays a vital role in various traditional performances, serving as an essential accompaniment in sanjo, providing the rhythmic foundation in samul nori (a genre of Korean percussion music), and featuring prominently in rituals and ceremonies. Its versatility allows it to shape the pace and mood of a piece, making it an indispensable instrument in Korean musical tradition.
Amazing Grace
A traditional Christian hymn.
Arirang
A beloved Korean folk song, often considered an unofficial national anthem, especially in times of national hardship.
Milyang Arirang
A regional variation of Arirang from Milyang in southern Korea.
Doraji
A traditional Korean folk song about a bellflower.
Home Alone on Aisle – Sum-jib Agi
A song often used as a lullaby.
Auld Lang Syne
A traditional Scottish folk song.
Hwimori in Sanjo (Kim Jook Pa School)
A lively and dynamic section of sanjo, a style of traditional Korean instrumental music accompanied by janggu drumming. Sanjo is a crystallisation of Korean melody and rhythm, passed down orally from generation to generation.
Rain, Among the Forest (Sup, 숲, 1962) – Hwang Byung-Gi
Hwang Byung-Gi, a renowned composer, educator, and gayageum player, masterfully blended Western musical concepts with traditional Korean music, gugak.
Gayageum Performers
Alfred Wong
Bethan Cole
Charlotte Leung
Genevieve Dean
