ABOUT THE BAND
Purnamasari, led by Indonesian born, SF Bay Area singer-songwriter Lisa Graciano, integrates Indonesian gamelan instruments and ideas into original yet accessible guitar-based songs and compositions. Purnamasari features performers experienced in both gamelan and western music, mixing and extending traditional techniques. They create a unique musical fusion, using a variety of gamelan instruments and tuning systems, mixed with western instruments tuned to a pitch allowing interaction with the gamelan. Purnamasari grew out of the Indonesian American Cross Cultural Music Project, a collaboration between Lisa and gamelan player Paul Miller, and includes musicians Megan Hewitt, Patrick Liddell, Richard Phillips, Keenan Pepper, Nami Murata, and Julia Martin. Purnamasari means ‘Essence of the Full Moon. The band performed at the San Francisco International Arts Festival 2021, and the concert was also sponsored in part by grants from the Sam Mazza Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and marked the release of Purnamasari’s concept album entitled Le Gong, available online at purnamasarimusic.bandcamp.com
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Core Musicians
Paul Miller
Paul Miller is a member of SF Bay Area gamelan groups Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Gadung Kasturi, Sari Raras, and Shadowlight Productions. He received a B.A. in music from Brandeis University, was introduced to gamelan at Mills College, and spent several years in Indonesia, learning Balinese gamelan with the late Wayang Loceng and other master musicians. He specializes in Gender Wayang music; several of his students have gone on to study with masters in Bali. Paul arranges the gamelan parts for Purnamasari and plays various gamelan instruments in the group.
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Megan Hewitt
Megan Robin Hewitt PhD is an Oakland-based musician, documentary filmmaker, Indonesian/Malay translator, and Executive Director of the non-profit American Institute for Indonesian Studies (AIFIS). She first learned Balinese gamelan at Florida State University, which became part of her impetus to pursue a graduate degree in Indonesian Studies at UC Berkeley. Her research on Indonesian literature, performing arts and contemporary social movements led to her involvement with the community of Indonesian artists and musicians in the Bay Area. Megan joined Gamelan Sekar Jaya and later Purnamasari, and is thrilled to perform among a thriving community working to bring Indonesian arts into the contemporary music scene in the Bay Area. Megan and her partner, Garna Raditya, create music as the indie rock duo Antaralain. Antaralain translates to AmongOthers, the name of their video production and translation agency that creates short video documentaries, often with an emphasis on cross cultural Indonesian-American connections. Megan plays gamelan instruments and sings harmony with Purnamasari.
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Richard Phillips
Richard H. Phillips is a multi-instrumentalist musician, and the songwriter, guitarist and vocalist for Golden Path, an SF Bay Area indie rock band. He performs as half of a duet with musician and composer Barbara Golden, and plays Balinese gamelan music with Gamelan Sekar Jaya and Gadung Kasturi. Rick plays electric guitar for Purnamasari.
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SOME MUSICIANS WHO HAVE PERFORMED WITH PURNAMASARI
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Barbara Golden
Emily K Rolph Made Putrayasa Ed Garcia Maurissa Dorn Zach Hejny Danny Martin Mike Toth John Foster Kris Jones Rick Auerbach John Waller Reiko Hasegawa |