(now I'm envisioning trying to smuggle a gamelan out of Nigeria)

[Check your URL. You have http:// twice in a row. -- Mournie Robwos, Duty Gnome]

If you have a breeding pair of unicorns, does that mean you need a virgin to mind them?

I lived and worked in Indoensia for 4 years, studying at the Institut Seni Indonesia in Yogyakarta. For the last 5 years I have birthed a project called the Gamelatron - it is the world's first and we believe only fully robotic gamelan orchestra. (http://gamelatron.com). The Gamelatron draws on the thousand-year-old sonic tradition of Indonesia--Gamelan--and the emerging field of robotics to create magical, viscerally-powerful, site-specific performances and temporary and permanent installations. Our mission is to informatively bring the legacy and creative cultural power of gamelan to new shores, new people and communities. We also aim, in the coming years, to develop ingenious methods to preserve and revive extraordinary gamelan traditions rarely heard or passed on to the new generation.

Taylor Kuffner
917 723 6340

http://www.harrisondocumentary.com/content.php?area=harr

The late Lou Harrison played, taught and composed for gamelan (among other things) for many years. The house he built in Joshua Tree, CA is now an artist residency and performance space.

I would be happy to take the Gamelan off your hands, and will arrange transportation at no expense to you.
I would need just a little lead time to arrange time off work and to rent the truck.
I assure you that your gamelan would not only receive a good home, but would be the new host to a group of like-minded people who would actually relish the opportunity to play gamelan again.

I have a space where I can store the gamelan and where we can set up and play.

I look forward to hearing from you!
I included my phone number in an email directly to Jon.

I hope your plan works out. I used to go to Lake of the Silver Bear concerts, and it's sad to hear that they're (temporarily, I hope) over.

http://mim.org/

(My first reaction on reading this post was,
"Litheth, and lesteneth and herken to the plan,
And ye schul heere a tale of Singer's Gamelan.
Singer of Washington hath hit in his shede
And also picric acid and Nefertiti's heade.")

(My second reaction was "Singer has a gamelan, / E-I-E-I-O....")

You know it makes sense.

I loved the woks -
"They're part of a complex musical instrument"
"Prepare delicious meals while you play"!

Hah! Just before getting to this comment, on a wild hare, I sent off an email to the music school dean's assistant.

"ton-and-a-half of big brass band, oh, doo dah day"? (Yes, I know it's bronze)

http://youtu.be/K19jPwpP5XY

https://www.facebook.com/gamelatron.robotgamelan

They presented the instrument in all it's harmonic glory to the world at large at Burning Man's Temple of Transition in 2011. It was majestic and would make them able to share this art form with so many more people.

Thank You.

I have seen what Taylor has done with his Gamelatron at Burning Man, FIGMENT, and in other venues around the world. I know he would be a fantastic steward of this wonderful instrument and that he would put it to great use in making public art pieces that introduce many people to the amazing sounds this instrument can produce.

heath @ landlockedmusic . com - thanks!!

They also obviously misinterpreted Patrick's post as meaning he's the arbiter of the fate of Jon's gamelan, rather than the poster of a note about a friend's dilemma.

In any case, Jon will be the one to make the final choice as to the disposition of the gamelan, and knowing Jon, I'm sure he'll choose carefully and well, and the gamelan will be played and enjoyed for years to come.

Having said that, we do always appreciate people's efforts to identify spam and highlight questionable commenting patterns. False positives are, therefore, welcome signs of care, and to be applauded.

Also, I appear to have, a, comma, problem, tonight.

My apologies - I dont think any of it is spam. I actually have received about 15 emails and 20 Facebook postings about this since it hit Boing-boing last night. I think that more than anything the people in my community feel very strongly about the Gamelatron project for what it has contributed to their lives and when I mentioned that this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity and that it is something that we would be honored to shepherd, I think they wanted to show their support.

I have emailed Jon and offered us to him. I trust that he will do what he feels is the right thing for the instruments.

Wherever these instruments end up, I hope they are loved and that they can share their special powers with others.
Be well.

I do not think people are spamming - rather I responded to some of these posts with a lot of enthusiasm and some of our friends and fans responded by sharing their support. This project has touched a lot of people and really served them and in return we have a lot of dear supporters.

My apologies for any random posts - I have emailed Jon and shared with him our request for stewardship and our abilities to pick it up immediately and give it a great home and community.

thanks

But I am not in the least surprised that Singer has a gamelan to dispose of. Nor would I be surprise to learn that he had fitted it with frickin' lasers.

http://music.cornell.edu/about-us/facilities-and-instruments/cornell-gamelan/

Your post(s) was/were held for moderation by an accidental pattern match on the number of e-mails you'd received. Nothing to do with your project, linked URLs, or email address.

-- JDM

Oh, and welcome to Making Light.

Your post(s) was/were held for moderation by an accidental pattern match on the number of e-mails you'd received. Nothing to do with your project, linked URLs, or email address.

-- JDM

We've told Jon that things are happening in this thread. He's been in transit and dealing with some other complications.

#50 Taylor Kuffner: I trust that he will do what he feels is the right thing for the instruments.

http://www.folkways.si.edu/

She returned a message of "Wow! I have to send this on to someone in (such-and-such) Program!"

So, who knows? Perhaps a nibble is coming Jon's way.

Crazy(but sometimes in the right place to matter)Soph

AKICI Making Light!

You met him at the west-most extent of his cross-continental migration. (He started out in NY, and the running joke for years was that he was making his way generally westward across the continental US.) It'll be interesting to see if, now that he has re-set, he'll trend across again.

I will wager it has something to do with his participation in gamelan concerts at the Indonesian embassy. And his tendancy to acquire the "stuff" associated with his interests.

Which-all, of course, has nothing whatever to do with Jon Singer.

--Dave, there's probably also an Alice quote, other than six impossible things before breakfast even

I have other commitments on Saturday, so I'll miss out on the Cool Stuff.

[Three spaces in a row is what got it held. Duplicate destroyed. -- Boro Tisalni, Duty Gnome]