Latest news with #Gamelan
Otago Daily Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Games week chance to reconnect
University of Canterbury student Ayu Razali meets the Otago and Southland Chinese Association lion at the 2025 Bersatu Games carnival yesterday. PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSH Nearly 300 Malay students from across New Zealand descended on Dunedin recently to compete in a games week steeped in tradition. The Otago Malaysian Students' Association hosted the Bersatu games in Dunedin over the last week. About 280 Malaysian students from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch took part. The participants celebrated a successful games week at the closing ceremony and carnival at the University of Otago Union Hall yesterday. The event's executive director Sofea Haizal said the games, which could be traced back to the 1960s, brought together Malay university students and alumni to participate in sports and activities. Dunedin resident Michael Glover plays the Gamelan at the carnival. She said it felt good to be taking part in the games which her parents once helped host in Dunedin. "It's kind of cool that now that I'm at uni I get that opportunity to take part and it's also a good way for me to reconnect with my culture and my roots as well." The games included football, futsal and basketball as well as e-sports this year. It did not matter that Otago failed to win the games because it was a lot of fun and a great way to make new friends, Ms Haizal said. The Malaysian students from the University of Canterbury were the overall winners.
Zawya
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Zawya
PH Embassy in Rabat, Kontra-GaPi Hosts Music and Dance Workshops for Moroccan Students
The Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino (Kontra-GaPi), a Filipino performing arts ensemble from the University of the Philippines, in their visit to Morocco organized by the Philippine Embassy in Rabat, conducted a series of interactive workshops for Moroccan students to promote Philippine music and dance. Professor Pedro Abraham, Jr., founder of Kontra-GaPi, expressed elation at the opportunity to promote Philippine culture as their visit coincided with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Philippine-Moroccan relations. At the workshop held on 20 June 2025 at Ecole Internationale de Musique et Danse (EIMD), young Moroccan musicians aged 8 to 13 tried their hands at playing various indigenous instruments such as kulintang, gangsa, tongatong, angklung, kubing, eliciting smiles in their faces. Parents in attendance expressed gratitude to the Embassy for giving their children a rare and unforgettable experience and even shared their intention to visit the Philippines afterwards. On 21 June 2025, another workshop was held at the Dati Drouk dance studio where Professor Abraham said 'I admire Morocco's rich history, which spans more than 5,000 years—about the same length as the Philippines' pre-colonial history. I believe that music and dance transcend national boundaries, and I hope to share with you the rich traditions of Filipino gamelan music and indigenous dance.' Energized by the brief performance of Kontra-GaPi and the workshop that followed, the members of Dati Drouk performed a full dance sequence composed of movements from various Filipino ethno-linguistic groups. The workshop culminated in a spontaneous cultural exchange, as Dati Drouk members responded with an extemporaneous dance performance to the hypnotic rhythms of gnaoua music. EIMD is a premier institution in Rabat offering comprehensive music, dance, and theater training for over 1,500 students annually and supporting both aspiring professionals and amateurs. On the other hand, Dati Drouk is the first institution in Morocco offering structured professional training in contemporary dance. The two workshops were conducted on top of the performances of Kontra-GaPi before the Diplomatic Corps on 17 June 2025 and the Filipino community on 22 June 2025. Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja expressed great satisfaction at the opportunity to showcase Philippine culture, saying that 'culture is a bridge linking the Philippines and Morocco'. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines.
New Straits Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Hands embarks on Melaka tour this June
KUALA LUMPUR: After a 7-year break, Malaysia's renowned percussion ensemble, Hands Percussion Malaysia, is relaunching Hands On Tour (HOT). This exciting revival will begin in Melaka on June 13 and 14, with strong support from the National Culture and Arts Department of Melaka. Founded in 1997, Hands is Malaysia's first professional drum troupe. Hands artistic director Bernard Goh said in a statement yesterday that Hands combines the sounds of traditional Malaysian rhythms with professional theatre elements—including lighting, stage design, and acoustics—an approach that has enabled them to perform in over 20 countries. "In celebration of its 20th anniversary in 2017, Hands launched its inaugural nationwide tour, Hands On Tour, with performances held in Johor Baru, Ipoh, Penang, Kuantan and Seremban in 2018. The tour was met with overwhelmingly positive responses from local audiences. "Through each stop of the tour, Hands aspires to deepen public appreciation for Malaysia's intangible cultural heritage—specifically the 24 Festive Drums art form—and to spark a lasting interest in percussion, particularly among the younger generation," he said. Goh said that the Melaka show will feature six compositions and a fusion of traditional and modern instruments, including the 24 Festive Drums and the Gamelan. "Our performance integrates percussion traditions from Malaysia's diverse cultures. We hope to use the arts to bridge communities, break down cultural barriers, and elevate percussion performance to new heights." The performances include The Awakening, Rhythm Ride, Owned, Bare Hands Dance which features Kelantan wayang kulit star and the traditional Acehnese dance called Saman, and Nian X Legacy Of Passions that combines the lion dance drum and the traditional Malay drum called Jidor. Tickets are priced at RM88 and RM108 and can be purchased at
