Gamelan Dubstep

A three-day residency in May 2013 at Axis Arts Centre, Manchester Met University, Crewe  leading to the premiere of the resulting work  “Only You 2.0” and a traditional gamelan song “Ku luchu malati” as part of the inaugural Manchester “Focus on Gamelan” Festival, on June 4th, 2013organised by the Hallé Orchestra to celebrate the move to its new premises in Ancoats – Hallé St Peter’s.

The Gamelan Dubstep Fusion Project is set to develop further during 2014.

Personnel:  

Manchester Metropolitan University: – 
 Dr Ornette D Clennon  –  Composer
Dr Rachel Swindells   – Composer,  gamelan expert, flute
Guillaume Dujat-des-Allimes  – Live electronics (DJ)   (student)

Hallé Orchestra:  – 
Chris Emerson – Viola
David Petri – Cello  & Double Bass

electric voice theatre:-
Frances M Lynch – Soprano
Felicity Davies – Soprano  (trainee)
Aris Nadirian – Bass Baritone
Tess Pearson – Gamelan, SCM (intern)

MC Hypes  – Rapper

Admin and practical Support for the project came from Jodie Gibson, Axis Arts Centre, Community Outreach and Development Director  and her staff, and the Centre’s technicians,  and  the Hallé’s Education Director, Steve Pickett.

The Music
“Only You 2.0”  – by Ornette Clennon
The main musical components Ornette combined in this exploratory work were:-
– a Serbian folksong ‘Dremka mi se’ – in an arrangement for 3 voices and strings
– Dubstep beats (pre-recorded and manipulated live by a DJ)
– Rap
– Gamelan (based on “Ku luchu malati”)
Techniques applied included: –
Improvisation, Microtonal harmonies, Glissandi, Drones, Live electronic processing for the strings, Ornamentation – mordents, turns, trills, note repitition , Vibrato (+/-  exaggeration, ethnic)

Rap