KUALA LUMPUR: The Actors Studio Academy and award-winning gamelan ensemble Gangsapura will be bringing back its Malay Gamelan workshops to the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) from Sept 24 onwards.
The traditional music art form was brought into Tanah Melayu from Riau-Lingga in the early 19th Century and enjoyed glorious days in the royal courts before disappearing for some 20 years, only to be re-discovered under Istana Kolam in Terengganu in 1967.
Now considered one of our great cultural assets and long-lost treasure, Gangsapura's Malay Gamelan 101 is a rare opportunity to learn this ancient art form.
The six-week course will cater for both beginners and intermediate level students.
Beginners will be taught the adab (manners), the various different instruments and techniques employed to play each, structure and notation of gamelan music and how to play as a group.
Intermediate students will have a chance to learn how to fuse Malay gamelan playing with Joget Gamelan, how to "turun gambang" as well as more intricate "bunga" on the keromong and gambang.
The term ends with a public recital on Nov 12.
Students will have the chance to learn from the best, namely Teuku Umar Ilany on Saturday classes and Mohamad Faliq Bin Che Adeni on Sunday classes.
Both individuals are well-known performers and educators of the Malay gamelan.
Teuku Umar is one half of the power duo who co-founded the Gangsapura Gamelan Group in 2016 with Nur Diyana Nadirah in the hopes of promoting Malaysian culture and its traditional arts.
The group garnered the Best of 2019 Award at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.
The Malay Gamelan 101 workshops are open to those aged 15 and above.
The course fee is RM450 for six weeks with a RM50 registration fee for new students.
Those interested can register online via http://bit.ly/tasa_registration. Enquiries can be directed to academy@klpac.org or WhatsApp +6018-266 3383.
Visit www.klpac.org to find out what else is happening at TAS and KLPAC.