Lokananta for Javanese gamelan and symphony orchestra.

Lokananta is a fifteen-minute composition for Javanese Gamelan (a traditional Indonesian percussion ensemble) and Symphony Orchestra. Much of the philosophy behind the piece was drawn from the Ann Arbor Symphony's proposal for a composition which would allow both the orchestra and the gamelan to speak their own languages. In this respect, it was important that each ensemble maintain its integrity while engaging in a meaningful dialogue with the other. The title refers to a Javanese myth concerning the creation of the first gamelan by the gods, to which was given the name Lokananta, literally meaning King of the World. Lokananta attempts to bring together two important elements of gamelan music: its role as an instrument of communication, as well as its spiritual and meditative aspects. Javanese tuning is quite different from western equal temperament, and this presented a unique challenge in composing the piece. The decision was made not to affect the tuning of either ensemble in any way, but rather to allow both to be heard simultaneously, despite the inevitable clashes between the systems. Similarly, the problems inherent in notating Lokananta were unique to this project. The notational system used for the gamelan is an amalgam of traditional Javanese and western notation. Approximate pitch information, dynamics, rhythm, and articulations are all given in western format, with the addition of Javanese cipher notation below the staff. This compromise system makes it possible for a conductor unfamiliar with Javanese music to understand the sounds produced by the gamelan, just as it allows gamelan musicians with no knowledge of western notation to comprehend their parts. The work is divided into several sections, each employing the two ensembles in different combinations. Throughout the work, traditional Javanese techniques of tempo change and cyclical structure are incorporated. However, the basic framework and performance environment of Lokananta remain western in nature, although a synthesis is achieved on many levels between the two musics.D.M.A.; Ph.D.Communication and the ArtsMusicUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/132960/2/9977298.pd