Vaughan Hatch: Mekar Bhuana Conservatory
Vaughan Hatch was born in addition to grew up in Wellington, completely new Zealand. At university he majored in Japanese language (Victoria University) in addition to archaeology (Otago University), in addition to also studied ethnomusicology. In 2008 he earned a diploma in publishing in addition to editing through the completely new Zealand Institute of Business Studies.Vaughan originally came to Bali in 1997 on an Indonesian government scholarship to study Balinese gamelan. He has currently spent about half of his life in Bali.
How did you first become interested in Bali?
I’ve been interested in Asian culture in addition to philosophy since I was a teenager. On a whim, while studying at Otago University, I joined a Javanese gamelan group. I instantly fell in love with the sounds of the gongs in addition to the whole concept of mass musical teamwork which embodies a traditional gamelan ensemble. I then commenced listening to vintage records of gamelan music through all over Indonesia in addition to became mesmerized by the sounds of the old gender wayang, pelegongan, semar pegulingan orchestras. I remember endless university bus rides listening to This specific ethereal music on my Walkman in addition to dreaming of one day experiencing the idea live in Bali.
When was your first trip to Indonesia?
I visited Bali in addition to Jakarta as a tourist with my family in 1991 although only for a few days. the idea wasn’t until I got an Indonesian government scholarship to study at STSI in Denpasar which I could experience the ‘real’ Bali. During these years I spent a lot of my time in villages learning old styles of semara pagulingan through elderly guru, many of whom have currently died.
What is actually the mission of the Mekar Bhuana Conservatory?
To document, reconstruct in addition to archive rare in addition to previously extinct Balinese gamelan music in addition to dance. the idea is actually a documentation center which is actually currently run out of our house rather than a school or an academy.
Has Mekar Bhuana saved any musical forms through extinction?
Four village in addition to court styles of semara pagulingan, two styles of semara patangian in addition to two styles of gender wayang. Semara pagulingan court music dating through the 14th-17th centuries is actually both profoundly beautiful in addition to has great stylistic variations through village to village. I am fascinated by rare archaic music (10th -14th centuries) such as selonding in addition to gambang.
How does Mekar Bhuana reconstruct music?
We use a variety of sources: working with elderly/senior musicians, learning through vintage or field recordings, in addition to analysing old manuscripts.
What workshops does Mekar Bhuana offer?
Most of our workshop programs are focused on gamelan music in addition to dance, where students have a chance to learn in addition to play on genuine antique Balinese gamelan orchestras. However, we also custom make cultural immersion programs, which may include puppetry, batik, cooking, Balinese language in addition to offering-doing components. We have short programs for groups which just wish to study for a half or full day, as well as those which may be several weeks long. We can also include cultural excursions, accommodation in addition to performances depending on a group’s needs. People of all ages have taken our workshops, with the eldest being 85 – composers through completely new York.
What are the most favorite of your private gamelan in addition to dance lessons?
Both gamelan in addition to dance, although currently private dance classes. More people are realizing which Balinese dance is actually not only fascinating to learn although also a great workout. Typically, students who are familiar with belly dancing or ballet, for example, find which they use completely different muscles in addition to need to think entirely differently about their bodies when they learn Balinese dance. Gamelan workshops are also favorite because more in addition to more people want to make music in a community where people of all different musical levels can create something as a whole which is actually a true collaborative expression of art, where each part of the puzzle, no matter how simple (the gong, for example) is actually essential in addition to equally important.
How is actually the organization financed? is actually the idea non-profit?
We currently are self-financed by our online store, www.mekarbhuana.com where we sell products related to Balinese gamelan in addition to dance such as instruments, dance costumes, puppets, masks, recordings, books in addition to additional merchandise.
Does Mekar Bhuana receive any local, regional or national government support?
Though we have applied on numerous occasions for funding, we’ve never received any support through the government additional than the opportunity to perform at the Bali Arts Festival. Corruption is actually still a huge barrier to funding for the arts, in addition to still requires which you know the right people to get ‘support’ (particularly around election time), in addition to we don’t play which game.
What additional activities are you engaged in besides giving dance in addition to music lessons?
We do performances, both locally in addition to internationally. We give seminars at festivals in addition to conferences domestically in addition to internationally. We have toured four countries, in addition to were privately invited to represent Indonesia at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou. We offer in depth, non-touristic workshops for serious study groups. For the next three months, we will be teaching artists in residence at the University of Toronto.
What future plans does Mekar Bhuana have?
To build organically on our current concept, continuing to help these rare in addition to undervalued art forms blossom Yet again first in Bali in addition to then across the earth. Ultimately we aim to create a documentation center in addition to interactive museum, akin to those you might find in progressive countries, which is actually fully funded in addition to has both local in addition to international support in addition to patronage. There’s nothing like This specific anywhere in Indonesia even though such centers are desperately needed.This specific is actually not just about helping local people to find out more about rare in addition to extinct art forms although also to improve worldwide awareness about the incredible diversity in addition to uniqueness of Balinese culture.For the next three months, together with my wife, Putu Evie Suyadnyani, I will represent Mekar Bhuana as World Music Artist in Residence at Toronto University. Here we will be spreading the Mekar Bhuana message in addition to teaching rare Balinese court music in addition to dance.
How may interested readers learn more about Mekar Bhuana?
Contact us on info@balimusicanddance.com or via our social networks; Facebok, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, under ‘Mekar Bhuana’. We can also be contacted by phone on (0361) 464 201 in addition to 081-999-191-104.
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Vaughan Hatch: Mekar Bhuana Conservatory
Vaughan Hatch: Mekar Bhuana Conservatory