GAMELAN
Taster session & 5 week course
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Thursdays, 13th March - 17th April 2025
The community inherited a beautiful Javanese gamelan earlier in the year, built by master crafters near Surakarta in Java, Indonesia. It is one of a select few regularly practicing Javanese gamelans in the South West, and we are very pleased to give an opportunity to interested individuals in the area to join us for weekly classes on Thursday evenings, beginning with a free taster session on 13th March 2025.
The classes will be led by William Barnardo, who studied gamelan in Java and will bring years of teaching experience to the sessions, supported by the Alfoxton community. Places are limited and booking is essential.
What is Gamelan?
Gamelan is the name of both a style of music and an instrument ensemble. It is rare in that it is both incredibly beautiful to listen to, and relatively straightforward to play. It is the traditional music of several Indonesian islands. Our gamelan is from the Javanese tradition. Watch this short documentary or this performance to get a sense of the music.
Can anyone join?
Yes :) Gamelan is a group music making experience, with parts for those with both limited musical experience and those that want to go deeper into the instrument. As with all Alfoxton events, the atmosphere is welcoming and hot drinks and snacks will be available throughout.
When is it?
There will be a free taster session on Thursday 13th March 7-9. We will then run a 5 week course on Thursday 7-9pm on:
20th March
27th March
3rd April
10th April
17th April
In order to develop together as a group, we ask that people who want to continue beyond the taster session to commit to the full 5 weeks.
How much does it cost?
After the first free taster session on 13th March, we will operate on a 'dana' or gift/donation basis. Read more about dana.
If you have any more questions, please email events@alfoxtonpark.org
ABOUT THE FACILITATIOR
WILLIAM BARNARDO
WILLIAM BARNARDO
William is a musician, workshop leader, artist, and teacher based in the Exeter. His work is informed by socially engaged art and Central Javanese aesthetics as well as philosophical writings, such as Dewey’s work on art and education and John Cage’s expression of philosophical ideas through music. His recent work has included setting up South Devon Gamelan at Ashburton Arts Centre; organising a three day music and traditional craft festival; organising, curating, and delivering an Indonesian Culture Fair at Ashburton Arts Centre; several commissioned landscape and portrait oil paintings; as well as running Japanese and Indonesian fermentation workshops.
William spends a lot of time working with artists and non-artists to create community music and socially engaged installation art. Having graduated with first class honours from the University of York reading music he went on to study Solonese Karawitan (traditional music for gamelan, an Indonesian percussion orchestra) at Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta, Indonesia. The difference in teaching as well as the radically different musical aesthetics he experienced has informed his practice which now, emphasises: processes; cycles; and group collaboration and learning. Completing paintings and compositions creates the necessary balance to ongoing artistic engagement with groups, charities, and traditions.
Travel
Travel
TRAVEL
The nearest railway stations are Bridgwater and Taunton. We are about 1h 15min from Bristol by car.
The 15 bus leaves Bridgwater at 16:50 during college term dates and stops at the Plough Inn in Holford. We are a 15min walk from there.
Please get in touch for further advice with public transport, or for help arranging lifts / carpools.
Make sure to put "Coach House 2, Alfoxton Park" into Google Maps. Other variations will take you to Alfoxton House nearby which is not us. Otherwise use grid reference 51.165187, -3.220080.
The What3Words for our car park are ///soup.candy.huddling
accessibility
accessibility
We are committed to Alfoxton being a fully accessible venue and are working hard to achieve this. However, while the renovation work continues, visitors with specific mobility or accommodation needs may experience barriers to accessing all areas of the building and land.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, please do get in touch.
Costs
Costs
Alfoxton Park is a charity and works on the principle of Dana or a 'gift' economy. Read more about Dana here.
You will be invited to make a donation to Alfoxton when you attend.
Any Questions?
Any Questions?
Send us an email at events@alfoxtonpark.org.uk
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