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IndonesianRumput plays keroncong (a string-band tradition from Indonesia) and explores parallel threads from other traditions, especially old-time string-band music of the United States and British Isles, and Indonesian gamelan.
We produce multimedia performances involving traditional and original music accompanying shadow theater comprising elements of American and Indonesian traditions — crankies (scrolling panoramas) and wayang (shadow puppets).
Most of us are also members of Gamelan Raga Kusuma.
We have performed internationally, including tours and residencies in Java in 2017 and 2018, performing with local artists at each stop, and collaborating with guest artistic director Danis Sugiyanto.
In Spring 2016 we co-produced Shadow Ballads, an intensively collaborative performance involving old-time music duo Anna & Elizabeth, Balinese wayang (shadow-puppet) master Gusti Sudarta, and Javanese musicians Peni Candrarini and Danis Sugiyanto.
In 2018 we again collaborated with Danis on Akar, an original crankie and accompanying suite of music retelling the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, premiered on tour in Java.
In 2019 we collaborated with Danis and singer Endah Laras on a mini-tour of mid-Atlantic venues including stops at The Smithsonian Institution and The Richmond Folk Festival.
Members
 Kyle Dosier |
Kyle is a farmhand, musician, and sustainable agriculture student. He has played Indonesian music since 2009. |
 Greyson Goodenow |
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. |
 Brian Larson |
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. |
Associate Professor, Music/Ethnomusicology, University of Richmond. Andy directs Gamelan Raga Kusuma. |
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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. |
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Natalie Quick
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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. |
 Beth Reid |
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. |
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Robert Andrew Scott is a chamber composer and folk improviser, exploring collaborative, cross-cultural and ritual/intuitive approaches to music-making. |
 Hannah Standiford |
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. |
Jessica Zike
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Jessica has studied Indonesian music for over 15 years in the US and Indonesia. |
Past members
Danis Sugiyanto, Guest Artistic Director, 2018
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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. |
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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. |
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