About us

role:

puppeteer

Edward is a writer and puppeteer based in Richmond. He has collaborated with various organizations around the city, including All the Saints Theater Company and WRIR-FM. In 2017-2018 Edward lived a year in Surakarta, Central Java, as a recipient of the Darmasiswa scholarship, studying Javanese shadow puppet theater. In Java Edward was fortunate to work with groups like Wayang Suket and Wayang Sampah.

instruments:

guitar, cak, bass, voice

Zack is a multi-instrumentalist principally engaged in rock, American Folk, Brazilian and Indonesian music forms. He is currently a senior studying music and education at the University of Richmond, and received a UR research fellowship in the summer of 2017 to study gamelan music in Bali.

instruments:

cuk, etc.

Kyle is a farmhand, musician, and sustainable agriculture student. He has played Indonesian music since 2009.

roles:

puppeteer, crankie operator, sound & light tech

Greyson is a vocalist, bassist, and synth player, and has played in several bands in her time in Richmond: Romesco, Suneater, and OK Braincoat. She graduated VCU with a BA in Theatre Performance and currently works as a sound and light tech at various venues, event spaces, and Sound of Music Studios.

instruments:

percussion

Brian studied music at James Madison University and has performed with Gamelan Raga Kusuma and Rumput since their inception. He works as an attorney in Richmond, Virginia.

instruments:

selo/cello

web site:

University of Richmond Department of Music

Associate Professor, Music/Ethnomusicology, University of Richmond. Andy directs Gamelan Raga Kusuma.

instruments:

guitar, cak, voice

web site:

johnpriestley.net

John is a musician (Gamelan Raga Kusuma, colectivo caliban), software developer (VCU School of Medicine) and graduate of the Media Art & Text interdisciplinary PhD program at VCU.

instruments:

bass, voice, cuk, guitar, ukelele, selo

Nat has been living and playing music in the Richmond area since 2004. They studied classical guitar and religion at Virginia Commonwealth University, and have performed in various rock, folk and classical groups around the city. Nat spent the 2017-2018 school year studying gamelan at ISI  Surakarta, Central Java. Currently they work at Fan Guitar and Ukulele and teach Javanese gamelan at The College of William and Mary.

roles:

visual artist, puppeteer

Beth is a visual artist based in Richmond. She completed a BFA in Painting and Printmaking at VCU. Beth is a museum professional working at the Valentine Museum, a figure art model, and is studying to be an art conservator.

instruments:

instrument

web site:

url

bio.

instruments:

flute

web site:

brandon.si

Brandon is a musician, programmer, and photographer living in Richmond. He graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied flute under Joshua Smith.

instruments:

voice, cak

Hannah is a certified music therapist and singer-guitarist trained in jazz and classical music, with a lifelong interest in Americana. She has studied keroncong under a Darmasiswa scholarship in 2014, and a Fulbright grant in 2017. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Ethnomusicology at the University of Pittsburgh.

instruments:

fiddle, voice

web site:

paulwillson.com

Paul Willson has released one album and three double-albums as a leader/primary composer. His work has been reviewed in RVA Mag and RVA News. Paul’s compositions cross into several genres. He sings and plays guitar, fiddle, sarod, and sarangi.

instruments:

voice, bass ukelele

Jessica has studied Indonesian music for over 15 years in the US and Indonesia.

instruments:

all of them

In 2018 Mas Danis was a visiting Fulbright Scholar with dual appointments teaching Javanese gamelan at William & Mary and the University of Richmond. He joined Rumput as Guest Artistic Director during his semester-long residency.

Born to a renowned family of musicians in Solo, Java, Mr. Sugiyanto has been an active performer of traditional gamelan, kroncong and experimental music since his early teens. He graduated in 1995 with a BA from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts in Solo, earning his MA there in 2003 and immediately joined the permanent faculty. He has performed extensively in Asia, Australia, America and Europe. He was a featured musician in Robert Wilson’s I La Galigo and has performed extensively with artists including I Wayan Sadra, Slamet Gundana, Dedek Wahyudi, Dedy Luthan, Enthus Susmana, Hajar Satoto, Yayat Suheryatna, Suprapto Suryodarmo, Bambang ‘Mbesur’ Suryono, Purwa Lelana, Wasi Bantolo, Sri Wardoyo, Anjarany, Ong Keng Sen, and Michi Tomioka.