Gamelan Manik Harum is a community gamelan in Missoula, Montana welcoming all who wish to dedicate themselves to practice regularly, play and perform Balinese Gamelan angklung music together. Gamelan angklung is a traditional Balinese ensemble with mostly bronze metallophone instruments comprising a percussion orchestra. Gamelan Manik Harum was established in 2007 by Dorothy Morrison, musical director, and was named on a full moon, total lunar eclipse night February 21, 2008 by Balinese Master Musician I Made Lasmawan. Pak Made, sometimes along with his wife Balinese Master Dancer Ni Ketut Marni and sons Putu, Ade and Aji, has done 23 music and dance residencies in Missoula with the group. All music, performance choreography, and outfits are under the guidance of Pak Made. Any proceeds from performances go towards bringing Pak Made back to Missoula. The name Manik Harum can be translated as “a powerful force that gives you a good feeling like a pleasant aroma”.

This is the second gamelan group that Dorothy has helped establish in Missoula; the first was at the University of Montana. Dorothy is a musician, ethnomusicologist, and teacher and incorporates Gamelan angklung in her music classroom (also see and see and see and see) at Lewis and Clark Elementary School and worked with Pak Made in establishing Kocong! a 5th grade student performing group as well as a student Balaganjur or marching gamelan and has performed Kecak a Balinese dance and vocal chant, and Baris a boys dance. Dorothy has introduced students to Gamelan instruments and music at schools around the region including: Big Sky High School, Bonner School, Franklin Elementary School, Hellgate High School, Lewis and Clark Elementary School, Lowell Elementary School, Potomac School, Seeley Swan High School, and Swan Valley Elementary School.

Gamelan Manik Harum has collaborated in performances with Lewis and Clark Elementary School students, Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre School, Missoula area dancers organized by Faith Morrison, Sentinel High School art students, Ewam Sang-ngag Ling, Sussex School art students, and the University of Montana School of Music Jaya Budaya Gamelan. Some members of Manik Harum have collaborated on smaller ensembles for recitals, and learning and practicing Gamelan gender wayang or shadow puppet music and have formed a small ensemble known as Alas Harum (which can be translated as “aroma of the forest”). Manik Harum also performs Balaganjur or marching gamelan. Gamelan Manik Harum has experimented with some site specific performances.

The group gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: The Aaron Bolton Memorial Project; Arts Missoula; The Montana Arts Council; the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (Los Angeles; San Francisco); and the Lewis and Clark Elementary School PTA. Twelve members of Gamelan Manik Harum have traveled to Bali and studied with Pak Made and his family in their home village. If you would like to become a member of Gamelan Manik Harum or request a performance by them please contact Dorothy Morrison (morrisondorothy at yahoo.com).