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Introduction to the Arts of Cirebon
by Richard North
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Foreign Documenters
Foreigners active in the field include Dr. Michael Richard Wright, whose seminal book The Music Culture of Cirebon (1978) gave the first detailed analysis of the classical gamelan traditions of Cirebon. (It was he who introduced me to my teacher, the late P.H.Yusuf Dendabrata.) Dr. Wright’s writings were preceded by the work of the Dutch-born Bernard Suryabrata, who lived in the Cirebon area and wrote numerous articles on Cirebon music.
Pamela Rogers-Aguiniga (who first introduced me to Cirebon gamelan and topeng in 1974), studied Topeng Cirebon with the legendary Bi Dasih of Ciluwung village in the 1970’s, and later with Pa Sujana Arja—the dynamic dalang topeng from Slangit village. Her 1986 thesis is a detailed documentation of the Slangit version of Topeng Cirebon.
Dr. Michael Ewing, currently a professor of linguistics at the University of Melbourne, Australia has published several works on the Cirebon dialect of Javanese. A long-time student of master topeng dancer Pak Sujana Arja, he learned to perform all five of the classical Topeng Cirebon characters. In addition to his professorial duties, Michael is leader of the Cirebon gamelan and dance ensemble ”Putra Panji Asmara” in Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne’s Gamelan Putra Panji Asmara, with Dr. Michael Ewing playing kendang (drums.)
Dr. Matthew Isaac Cohen is probably the most prolific writer on Cirebon today. His numerous articles and books (over 30 at my last count!) shed new light and help clear up many misconceptions about the place of Cirebon in the context of Indonesian culture. His doctoral dissertation on Cirebon wayang kulit is a virtual encyclopedia of Cirebon cultural detail. Matthew is an accomplished Cirebon shadow puppeteer, and is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Drama and Theatre at the Royal Holloway University of London.
Matthew Cohen performing Cirebon-style wayang kulit with Gamelan Puloganti at the Picture Gallery, Royal Holloway University of London, 2006
Richard North has been studying, teaching and performing Cirebonese
Gamelan since 1976. He has studied various facets of Cirebon culture with the late Pangeran Yusuf Dendabrata at the Keraton Kacirebonan and continues his studies with Yusuf's son, Pangeran Haji Tomi Dendabrata. He has taught Cirebon Music at Hawaii Loa College and North Seattle Community College. He was the Guest Editor of the December 1988 issue of Balungan Journal devoted to the arts of Cirebon and contributed three articles to that issue. He currently directs Gamelan Sinar Surya, a Cirebon gamelan group in Santa Barbara, USA, and is working with gamelan musicians in Cirebon to help revive lost pieces from the classical repertoire.
(Richard North's bio written by Chad Bailey Nielson)
Richard North (right) playing bonang with Elang Ringgo at Keraton Kacirebonan in 2006.