Traditional
Yoshihisa Saito (arranged 1990)
1st Koto: Faith Antonetti, Alexandra Danckaert, Josephine Danckaert, Nicholas Gaffney, Malaika Nyawara, Joshua Batugo, Priscilla Seah, Paolo Lami, Julie Yang
2nd Koto: Raina Newsome, Henry Wilson, Jackie Lee
Bass Koto: Dennis Erickson, Colin Khem
This is a medley of traditional Japanese songs including Sakura (Cherry Blossoms); the ancient song Koto Uta that first appeared in a koto music textbook in a Tokyo music school in 1888; Kazoeuta (Counting song), an ancient Japanese school children’s song that was selected in 1892 by the Japanese government to be taught in elementary schools; and Oedo Nihonbashi (The Edo Bridge), named after a very famous historical bridge in Tokyo.
Etenraku
Traditional
Advanced class students: Dennis Erickson, Paolo Lami, Julie Yang
7 + 5 syllable poems with vocal
a ki no ha ji me ni na ri nu re ba
ko to shi mo na ka ba wa su gi ni ke ri
wa ga yo fu ke yu ku tsu ki ka ge no
ka ta bu ku mi ru ko so a wa re na re
It’s autumn now
Half the year has passed already
Like the moon waning, my life is passing by
I feel lonely.
Etanraku is sacred music that was often performed for religious ceremonies during the 8th and 9th century in Japan.
Ochiba-suru koro (Season of Falling Leaves) Koto Duet
Katsuko Chikushi (composed 1952)
1st Koto: Jackie Lee
2nd Koto: Colin Khem
One bids farewell to autumn watching a leaf fall, then another and another…. In the distance temple bells ring, announcing the end of another day. One is overcome by nostalgia.
Yuyake Koyake Hensokyoku (In the Glow of the Sunset)
Seiho Nomura (arranged 1960)
1st Koto: Faith Antonetti, Alexandra Danckaert, Josephine Danckaert, Nicholas Gaffney, Malaika Nyawara, Henry Wilson, Paolo Lami, Joshua Batugo, Priscilla Seah, Raina Newsome
2nd Koto: Kyoko Okamoto
3rd Koto: Julie Yang, Jackie Lee
Bass Koto: Dennis Erickson, Colin Khem
Bulu Gading (Golden Bamboo)
I Made Wisnu Ari (composed 2021)
This piece, like many Balinese compositions, is inspired by nature. Bamboo is valuable for making ceremonial offerings which usually include rice, flowers, fruits and spices. Bamboo is also used for parts of the gamelan instruments, such as the resonators and flutes.
Banang Selisir (trad.)
I Nyoman Suadin, choreographer
Latifah Alsegaf, dancer
The music is the traditional piece Bapang Selisir and is an example of the courtly Semar Pegulingan style. There is a base melody and the drummer leading the musicians, cues the angsels or breaks. The dance is in the refined female style and draws on movements from the classical Balinese dance Legong, which itself evolved from the court dance drama called Gambuh.
Harum Semitha (Beautiful Smile)
Traditional
This piece is an adaptation of a traditional song. It evokes a general feeling of happiness and contentment.
Gilak Rahwana
Traditional
There are many Balinese compositions based on the eight-beat gilak pattern. Characterized by the cycling gong pattern that alternates between the large gong and the small, higher-pitched kempur, the music using the gilak form typically accompanies ceremonial processions in Bali or forms the basis for longer compositions. Originally played in the gamelan gong kebyar style during the Ramayana dance drama, this song has been adapted as an instrumental piece for gamelan angklung.
ENSEMBLE DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHIES
Founder and music director of the Washington Toho Koto Society since 1971, KYOKO OKAMOTO is a graduate of the Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. She was certified as teacher of koto following completion of her training in the Ikuta School of Koto in Japan. She teaches privately in the Washington metropolitan area and holds faculty appointments at the University of Maryland, College Park, UMBC and the George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
Okamoto's lectures, demonstrations and recitals have attracted college and community audiences in the Midwest, New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. She has recorded for film productions with the Smithsonian Institution and the National Symphony Orchestra, and with other groups of Western musicians.
Originally from Tabanan, Bali, I NYOMAN SUADIN discovered music and dance as a young child by watching his father participate in the village gamelan and by playing in a children's gamelan. He later received formal training at KOKAR, the National High School for the Performing Arts, in Denpasar. In 1986, he traveled to Germany to present music and dance. Since 1988, he has traveled throughout the United States and performed with gamelan ensembles. In addition to directing the University of Maryland Balinese Gamelan Ensemble "Saraswati," he teaches at the Eastman School of Music and Swarthmore College. He is also the founder and artistic director of Gamelan Mitra Kusuma.
ENSEMBLE PERSONNEL
UMD Japanese Koto Ensemble
Director
Kyoko Okamoto
Musicians
Faith Antonetti
Joshua Batugo
Dennis Erickson
Colin Khem
Alexandra Danckaert
Josephine Danckaert
Nicholas Gaffney
Paolo Lami
Jackie Lee
Raina Newsome
Malaika Nyawara
Priscilla Seah
Henry Wilson
Julie Yang
UMD Balinese Gamelan Saraswati Ensemble
Director
I Nyoman Suadin
Musicians
Christopher Adams
Isabele Arteaga
Laniya Davidson
Andrew Ferguson
Cecilia Hu
Anna Kelleher
Peter Kozlov
Maria Paoletti
Matthew Regan
Ella Sherman
Jasmine Voon
Amber Wang
Jingyu Xu
Yiding Yuan