Kak Wayan Konolan, one of the greatest masters of gender wayang from Banjar Kayumas kaja Denpasar passed away last night. He was also known as the father of great musicians, Pk.Wayan Suweca, Pk.Nyoman Sudarna, Bu Ketut Suryatini and Pk. Wayan Sujana.

He looked well and vigorously played and taught gamelan in the end of August, when I saw him for the last time. He performed gender with his children and students on last Kuningan in Mas, as usual. However, he had suffered from liver and heart diseases for these years. He had been in the hospital again since early September, complaining stomach pain.

A friend of mine in Bali has called me this morning and told me this sad news. According to Pk.Nyoman Sudarna, the son of Pk.Konolan, the family will soon hold a ngaben ceremony for Pk.Konolan, but the exact date is not yet fixed at present.

Pk Konolan was born around 1930, almost the same age as Pak Loceng alm. Though his career as a gamelan player was so comprehensive, including geguntangan arja RRI, semar pegulingan and angklung, I believe his excellence in gender wayang should be remembered above all.

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It is very common before proceeding to burial or cremation, the dead body is bathed by holy water – called “Nyiramin”.

Start on early morning, the Nyiramin ceremony is begun with the purifying of ceremonial equipments that are going to be used in the Mendak Tirta procession. In this procession, the holy water is taken from Water Spring near the river followed by Angklung and other members.

Mendak Tirta procession

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Daily photo journal of Bali Arts Festival 2006

Day 06, Friday, 23 June 2006

Time: 10.00
Event: Angklung orchestra by Sekaa Angklung Gita Kalanguan, Bukit Batu Gianyar Regency with performance of Joged dance and Bondres opera.
Venue: Kalangan Angsoka

At the back stage

Joged dance

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Daily photo journal of Bali Arts Festival 2006

Day 04, Tuesday, 20 June 2006

Time: 10.00
Event: Gong Gede by Sekaa Gong Gede Ds. Pakraman Demulih Susut, Bangli Regency
Venue: Kalangan Angsoka

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Daily photo journal of Bali Art Festival 2006

Day 03, Monday, 19 June 2006

Time: 10.00
Event: Sanggar Kompyang Raka from Jakarta perform varied traditional dance and new creation
Venue: Wantilan

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Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 13:25:40 -0700
From: Gamelan Sekar Jaya
Subject: GSJ upcoming concerts in SF Bay Area

Greetings list-friends,

Below is a revised list of our upcoming concerts. We’ve been having a
great time working up new material with Made Arnawa and Tjokorda
Padmini, two exceptional artists from ISI Denpasar. And we look
forward to having Dewa Berata with us too, in just a few days.
(Watching the beaming smiles of Dewa and Arnawa as they drum together
is quite a treat — with them, who needs stage lighting???)

Hope you can join us.

Wayne Vitale

GAMELAN SEKAR JAYA
Music and Dance of Bali

Performances and Events: April - June, 2006
With guest artists-in-residence I Made Arnawa - Guest Music Director Tjokorda Istri Putra Padmini - Guest Dance Director, Dewa Putu Berata - Guest Musician.
For more info, please visit http://www.gsj.org

Sunday, 11 am - 12:30 pm: Balinese Dance Classes
ASHKENAZ MUSIC & DANCE COMMUNITY CENTER, Berkeley Weekly dance classes taught by Tjokorda Padmini, Guest Dance Director.
Class location: 1317 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley
Info: 510-237-6849

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