Heni Savitri began to
study sindhènan (Javanese singing with
gamelan) in 2002. In 2003 she won the competition for best singer
in her native district of Wonogiri, Central Java. She entered the
Performing Arts Conservatory in Surakarta in 2004 and began
representing the institution in competitions the following year,
as well as performing in shadow plays. Upon enrolling in the
Indonesian Arts Academy in Surakarta she was selected as the
singer for many recordings of new faculty compositions and
traditional works, representing the academy in the 2008
international vocal competition in Jakarta. She has recently been
performing with gamelan groups in the United States, including at
the Indonesian Consulate in New York City, at Tufts University,
Cornell University, the Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C.,
Earlham College, Friends of the Gamelan Chicago, and with Sumunar
Gamelan in Minnesota.
Brian Rice is a highly acclaimed performer, educator, and
recording artist and one of the most versatile percussionists in
the Bay Area. Though best known as a specialist in Brazilian and
Cuban music, he can be heard playing a multitude of styles,
and his percussion playing graces over sixty recordings.