A Maestro of Javanese Cultural Heritage at Wesleyan
Written by Natalie Goodgold for Wesleyan University Arts and Humanities. Available from Medium.
Professor Sumarsam is a gamelan performer, teacher, and scholar. He has taught at Wesleyan University in the music department since 1972. Every semester he teaches with Professor Harjito Beginner Javanese Gamelan, Advanced Javanese Gamelan, and Music and Theater of Indonesia every spring semester.
Sumarsam’s interest in the performance practice of gamelan and wayang extends far beyond his teaching at Wesleyan. His research on the theory, history, and traditions of the Javanese performing arts has resulted in his two books: Gamelan: Cultural Interaction and Musical Development in Central Java (1995), Javanese Gamelan and the West (2013), and an open access monograph titled “Introduction, Theory, and Analysis Javanese Gamelan.” His major book (forthcoming), The In-Between in Javanese Performing Arts: History and Myth, Interculturalism and Interreligiosity, will be published by Wesleyan University Press in October, 2024.. Throughout his career, Sumarsam has also been the recipient of a number of fellowship grants and awards and was named the 2018 honorary membership of the Society for Ethnomusicology. Read more about his work and achievements on his profile page on the Wesleyan website.
The Arts and Humanities division takes immense pride in celebrating the recent accolade bestowed upon Professor Sumarsam. In light of Sumarsam’s accomplishments, the Governor/Sultan of Yogyakarta presented him with a prestigious Cultural Award, recognizing his contributions as a musician, teacher, and academician. The official award ceremony, held in person and virtually, highlighted Professor Sumarsam’s role as a guardian and practitioner in art, traditions, cultural heritage, and preservation. The award ceremony took place in the prime-ministry hall, accompanied by traditional music and dance performances. Professor Sumarsam’s nephew accepted the award on his behalf. You can view the awards ceremony here.
Pictured above: Professor Sumarsam’s nephew accepting the Cultural Award on his behalf
Professor Sumarsam’s expertise as a professor and commitment to nurturing the cultural heritage of Yogyakarta has elevated him to the status of a distinguished scholar and performer. This semester at Wesleyan has been marked by his participation in a series of gamelan events. Facilitated by Wesleyan’s affiliations with Indonesian institutions, Wesleyan hosted a Javanese-Chinese shadow puppet play on October 26, 2023. The event featured a distinguished delegation including Daniel Haryanto, Director of the Ullen Sentalu Museum, Professor Dwi Woro Retno Mastuti of Universtas Indonesia, and Ki Aneng Kiswantoro, an accomplished puppeteer and scholar. Moderated by Professor Sumarsam, the event provided artistic presentations of Wayang Thithi.
Following this performance, the Wesleyan Gamelan Ensemble delivered a Wayang shadow puppet play at Colgate University on November 2, 2023. The Wesleyan Gamelan Ensemble was under the guidance of Professors I.M. Harjito and Sumarsam. Co-sponsored by various departments, this interdisciplinary performance highlighted the profound connections between wayang performance, religion, music, theater, and global and regional studies. Prior to the performance, Professor Sumarsam delivered a lecture on the art of Javanese wayang, introducing both students and faculty members to the narrative structure, puppet characters, and their movements. His puppetry during the performance, narrating the tale of the “Divine Blessing of Kingship” (from the Javanese rendition of the Mahabharata,) showcased his mastery and enriched the audience’s experience.
Congratulations to Wesleyan’s esteemed faculty member, Sumarsam, for his achievements and recognition as a musician, teacher, and academic.
Written by Natalie Goodgold for Wesleyan University Arts and Humanities. Available from Medium.