Vaughan Hatch was born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand. At university he graduated in Japanese (University of Victoria) and Archaeology (University of Otago) and also studied ethnomusicology. In 2008, he earned a degree in publishing and editing the New Zealand Institute of Business Studies.Vaughan originally came to Bali in 1997 on a scholarship from the Indonesian government to study Balinese gamelan . He has now spent almost half of his life in Bali.
How did you first get interested in Bali?
I am interested in culture and Asian philosophy since I was a teenager. On a whim, while studying at the University of Otago, I joined a group Javanese gamelan . I instantly fell in love with the sounds of gongs and the whole concept of team work of musical mass that embodies a set of traditional gamelan. I then started listening to the original recordings of gamelan music from all over Indonesia and became fascinated by the sounds of the old gender wayang pelegongan Semar pegulingan orchestras. I remember endless journeys university bus ethereal listening to this music on my Walkman and dreaming of one day live live in Bali.
When was your first trip to Indonesia?
I went to Bali and Jakarta as a tourist with my family in 1991, but only for a few days. It was not until I was a scholarship from the Indonesian government to study at STSI in Denpasar that I could experience the "real" Bali. Over the years, I spent much of my time in learning styles of old villages semara pagulingan guru elderly, many of whom are now dead.
What is the mission of the Conservatory Bhuana Mekar?
To document, reconstruct and archive music and rare Balinese gamelan and dance already extinct. It is a documentation center that is currently short of our house rather than a school or academy.
A Mekar Bhuana saved musical forms from extinction?
Four villages and judicial styles semara pagulingan , two styles of semara patangian and two kinds of styles wayang . Semara pagulingan court music dating from the 14th to 17th centuries is both profoundly beautiful and has great stylistic variations from village to village. I am fascinated by the rare archaic music (10th -14th centuries) such as selonding and gambang .
How Mekar Bhuana rebuild the music
We use a variety of sources: working with older musicians / upper, learning from recordings period or field, and analysis of ancient manuscripts.
What do workshops Mekar Bhuana offer?
Most of our workshops programs focus on gamelan music and dance, where students have a chance to learn and play on a real antique Balinese gamelan orchestras. However, we also custom make cultural immersion programs, which may include the puppet batik , the kitchen, the Balinese language and offering components manufacturing. We have short programs for groups who wish to study just for half day or full day, as well as those that may be several weeks. We can also include cultural excursions, accommodation and performance according to the needs of a group. People of all ages have taken our workshops, with the oldest being 85 -. Composers of New York
What are the most popular of your lessons gamelan and private dance?
The two gamelan and dance, but now private dance lessons. More people are realizing that Balinese dance is not only fascinating to learn, but also a great workout. In general, students who are familiar with belly dancing or ballet, for example, found that they use completely different muscles and need to think quite differently from their bodies when they learn Balinese dance. Gamelan workshops are also popular, as more and more people want to make music in a community where people of all different music levels can create something as a whole that is truly collaborative expression of art, where each part of the puzzle, no matter how simple (gong, for example) is essential and equally important.
How is the organization funded? Is it profit?
We are currently self-funded through our online store, www.mekarbhuana.com where we sell products related to Balinese gamelan and dance such as instruments, dance costumes, puppets, masks, records, books and other goods.
Do Mekar Bhuana received no support from local government, regional or national?
Although we have applied to many funding opportunities, we have never received any support from the government other than the ability to perform at the festival of arts of Bali. Corruption remains a huge barrier to funding for the arts, and always requires that you know the right people to get the "support" (especially during elections), and we do not play this game.
What other activities are you involved in more than give dance and music?
We performances, both locally and internationally. We give seminars at festivals and national and international conferences. We visited four countries and were deprived invited to represent Indonesia in the Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou. We offer in-depth, non-tourism workshops for groups of serious studies. For the next three months, we will be teaching artists in residence at the University of Toronto.
What future plans do Mekar Bhuana have?
To build organically on our current concept, continue to help these rare art forms and undervalued bloom again the first in Bali and then worldwide. Ultimately, we strive to create a documentation center and interactive museum, similar to those found in progressive countries, which is fully funded and has both the support and the local and international patronage. There is nothing like this anywhere in Indonesia, although these centers are desperately needed.This is not only to help local people to learn more about rare forms of art and disappeared, but also to increase awareness worldwide about the incredible diversity and uniqueness of Balinese culture.For the next three months, with my wife, Putu Evie Suyadnyani I will represent Mekar Bhuana as world Music Artist in residence at the University of Toronto . Here we will spread the message Mekar Bhuana teach music and rare Balinese courtyard and dance.
How interested readers can learn more about Mekar Bhuana?
Call on info@balimusicanddance.com or via our social networks; Facebok, , LinkedIn, Pinterest, , under "Mekar Bhuana". We can also be contacted by phone at (0361) 464 201 and 081-999-191-104.