This past April, we were part of another exciting collaboration: together with the house band at the Mayfair Theatre, we performed a live score for a creepy silent classic, Nosferatu.

The night was dark and stormy, the performance was a sell-out, and the audience loved it!

Since things went so well the first time, we’re doing it again on June 12. If you missed out last time, this is your chance to see a classic film with a great soundtrack composed by Mike Dubue, music director at the Mayfair.

When: June 12 @ 9pm
Where: Mayfair Theatre – Bank @ Sunnyside
Cost: All tickets are 10$

Gamelan Semara Winangun is delighted to join the Orchid Ensemble for a double bill at the NAC 4th Stage. This is the third and last concert of CHIN Radio‘s World Music Showcase series for 2008-2009.

Show Details:
Thursday April 2, 7:30pm.
NAC Fourth Stage
Cost: $15— tickets are available from the NAC Box Office.

Spring is finally here and Semara Winangun is revving up for another exciting season of concerts! Our first shows are coming up soon – you have two opportunities to see and hear us as part of the 2008 edition of the Canadian Tulip Festival.

First, we are playing on the Friendship Stage in Major’s Hill Park, Sunday May 11th at 1.00pm, for about half an hour. This is part of Indonesia’s contribution to the Philippines/Indonesia Theme Day at the International Pavilion. Come along early to see Balinese dance and the dynamic Saman dance from Aceh province.

The following week, we play a favourite venue when we set up on the grass in Commissioner’s Park near Dows Lake, Sunday May 18th at 1.00pm, for 45 minutes to an hour (or whenever we run out of music to play.) If there is some rain, we’ll be in a tent near the food kiosks; if there is a lot of rain, we won’t be there at all, but neither will you! If it’s nice weather, we plan to be somewhere between The Man with Two Hats and the food kiosks — it will be a good time, and a great chance to hear gamelan in the outdoors and get up close to the instruments. Hope to see you there!

(Photo courtesy of M. Kawsar.)

Semara Winangun has had a year full of wonderful gigs – we’ve played amongst the tulips, for ambassadors, and in some great acoustic spaces. In addition, in February we had the privilege of collaborating with two great bands in an exciting show called Worlds Collide. We are happy to announce that our final gig of the year will be a bookend to our first: Worlds Collide 2!

Once again, we are going to reshape the sonic landscape, blending our shimmering sounds with the polyrhythms of the Akpokli Drum and Dance Society and the otherworldly space jazz of Rake-Star. This is going to be a wonderful and exciting show — hope that you can join us!

Show details:

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25th, 7:30 pm (Reception follows)
FIRST UNITARIAN CONGREGATION, 30 Cleary Ave
(off Richmond Rd east of Woodroffe)

TICKETS
$20 general admission
$15 students and seniors
in advance at
OTTAWA FOLKLORE CENTRE 1111 Bank @ Sunnyside
SOUNDS UNLIKELY 5 Arlington @ Bank
also available at the door

PROGRAM
GAMELAN SEMARA WINANGUN greets the audience in full regalia with the traditional Balinese welcoming dance Gabor.

AKPOKLI then brings Takai, a dance about war and peace from the Dagbamba traditions of Ghana.

RAKE-STAR sends in its horns to pull the Dagbamba drumming into the orbit of Saturn, birthplace of Sun Ra.

All three groups collide to premier Hybridge, written for the occasion
(thanks to the Ontario Arts Council).

Semara Winangun will be playing on June 27 as part of the annual First Baptist spring concert series. This church has a great acoustic and plays host to many interesting shows throughout the year. We are planning a set featuring many of our more intricate tunes and are learning one or two new tunes for the gig as well. We will also be premiering our first original composition – Tabuh Bangli!

Here are the details for the series:

Wednesday June 6: The Elgin Singers (James Calkin, conductor)
Wednesday June 13: Carl-Matthieu Neher (organ)
Wednesday June 20: Misty Banyard (soprano)
Wednesday June 27: Semara Winangun

Time: 12:15 – 1:00 PM
First Baptist, Elgin @ Laurier
$5 at the door
Contact: 234-3261