May graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Music, majoring in ethnomusicology. She discovered and studied traditional Javanese gamelan under the guidance of Pak Poedijono and has performed at numerous gamelan concerts around Melbourne. She joined Rhythm In Bronze in 2006 and is now pursuing her Masters at the University of Malaya’s Cultural Centre under the supervision of Professor Md Anis Md Nor
Colleen Wong
A music graduate from University Malaya with a Master in Art (performing Arts), Colleen started playing gamelan since 1997 in “The Trees” and has since been playing with Rhythm In Bronze in most of their concerts including RIB latest concert Alih Punggong in 2007. Currently she is pursuing her doctoral in Education
Jillian Ooi – Artistic Director on sabbatical
When Jillian is not playing gamelan, she lectures at the Department of Geography, Universiti Malaya. She is currently on sabbatical to pursue her doctoral research in seagrass geography at the University of Western Australia. Jillian has been playing the gamelan since 1995, in theatre and dance productions such as Scorpion Orchid; The Storyteller; Trees; Four Men and a Woman and Box of Delights. She has been a Rhythm In Bronze musician since 1997, and has acted as co-music director of the ensemble together with Sunetra Fernando since 2001. She was previously Music Director for the Gamelan Club’s Suara; Kickback; and Temper: Spirit of Gamelan. She has also been involved in collaborative work with Billy Cobham, Hands Percussion, the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra for the KLBBC Proms, and the Song Company of Australia. In 2005, Jillian and comusic director, Sunetra Fernando, won the Boh Cameronian Arts Award for Best Musical Director and in 2007, the same award with Susan Sarah John for Aligh PungGONG. Jillian’s compositions for gamelan, Runtuh; His Face, Her Eyes; Malu Malu Kucing; Topeng Tipu; and Guna’s Song have been played by Rhythm In Bronze and the Gamelan Club. Jillian has also been involved in conceiving, initiating, and facilitating the group’s community work through the Rhythm In Bronze in Selayang I (2004) and Selayang II (2006) projects.
Lorna Henderson
Lorna is a violin fiddling, flute blowing, singing and screaming arts worker with a Bachelors degree in Music & Related Arts. She has spent over 10 years working in the arts in various professions including arts management, workshops facilitator and musician. As a member of the London Philharmonic Choir, the Lorelei Quartet and the Addison Singers she has performed at a variety of major venues in and around London and the UK. Lorna now continues her musical journey as an arts worker in Malaysia, where she is collaborating with some of KL's finest having joined both Rhythm In Bronze and Instant Cafe Theatre Company. Under her company Umbrella Arts she also works within arts venues and schools teaching creative arts.
Teuku Umar Ilany Teuku Iskandar
Raised in Sentul city of Kuala Lumpur, Umar is currently studying in ASWARA (formerly ASK) in Diploma Music of Arranging and Composition Modul a nd taking Gamelan as major instrument and harp as second study. He joined Tunas Budaya/Artis Muda Istana Budaya when he was 7 years old and involved in theater, dance and acting. He played gamelan since secondary school and took Music's Stream as main study in SPM. He recently composed music's scoring for Year 3 short-film's project and preparing himself for year end diploma's project. Umar has been a guest player for Rhythm in Bronze since 2008.
Seow Lai Fong - Musical Director
She works with little children on a full-time basis, teaching music & movement. She started playing gamelan in university but has continued doing so as a hobby and jumps at every opportunity to perform with Rhythm In Bronze. She dabbles a little in arranging and composing gamelan pieces. She has also played in numerous concerts including Laras Gong, Wujud Antara and with the MPO musicians in the BBC Proms held at the Dewan Philharmonic Orchestra
Sharmini Ratnasingam – RIB Manager
She works with Malaysia Airlines dealing in service quality, but her true passion is in the arts. She has extensive music performance experience, performing as a trombonist with various orchestras in Kuala Lumpur for 18 years, and teaching school brass bands. She was one of the founding member of Gamelan Club together with Sunetra, it’s manager from 1997 to 2001 and co-music director/performer for the Gamelan Club’s Suara and Temper: Spirit of Gamelan. She has also performed in theatre productions such as Box of Delights, Scorpion Orchid, Trees, The Storyteller and 4 Men and a Woman. Sharm has been with Rhythm In Bronze from the very beginning and performed in most of Rhythm In Bronze concerts since 1997. She has arranged music for the gamelan and has been involved in developing and facilitating RiB’s community projects; Rhythm In Bronze in Selayang I (2004), Selayang II (2006) and Women Abused Organisation - WAO (2008).
Sunetra Fernando - Artistic Director on sabbatical
Sune used to lecture in music at the University of Malaya, teaching ethnomusicology and gamelan. In various capacities as artistic director, music director, composer and musician, she has been involved in the Rhythm In Bronze concert series (1997, 1999, 2001), Laras Gong (KL & 2003 Penang YTL Arts Festival), Rhythm In Bronze: Wujud Antara (Dewan Filharmonic PETRONAS’ Jass & World Music Series ‘03/04), The Island Princess (Royal Shakespreare Company) and Opera Uda & Dara. Selected compositions include Opera Uda & Dara (co-composer with Adrian Lee), Wayang (MPO commission for the Chamber Concert Series & KL BBC Proms 2002), Sketsa (for The Song Company), Lagu Gong (National Choir 2002) and Keramat Cinta with Adrian Lee (Selangor Philharmonik Choir, 2002). Compositions for gamelan include Sembuh Sudah, 10-sen and Biarkan, as well as scores for theatre productions such as Trees, Scorpion Orchid and Suara Rimba (with Rafique Rashid and Kit Leee). Other credits include music for Big River (1998), Skin Trilogy (1995). Sunetra has also been a conductor for the National Choir (1992 – 94) and a singer with The Choristers (1990 - 99).
Rhythm In Bronze Guest Musician
The following amazing musicians who are part of the Rhythm In Bronze extended family, have contributed tremendously to the group performances with their incredible and wonderful talent.
Mohd Kamarulbahri Hussin - Master Drummer
Kamrul learned traditional Malay instruments such as the gendang, rebab, gong and serunai; and was exposed to Wayang Kulit and learnt to be a dalang (puppeteer). A music graduate of Akademi Seni Kebangsaan (ASK, presently ASWARA), Kamrul majored in Malay and Werstern percussions and picked up more instruments in his ASK days, such as the gambus, seruling, gamelan, cak lempong and western instruments such as the classical guitar and steel drums. Kamrul credits his expertise to his teachers, the late Pak Hamzah Awang Amat, Pak Nasir Yusoff, Pak Ibrahim Senik, Pak Ismail Mamat and his father, Pak Hussin. Apart from lecturing in local universities, Kamrul has been appointed musical director for many theatre productions – among them, the Puteri Gunung Ledang film promotion at the 2004 Venice Film Festival, and has collaborated on many cultural exchange programs such as Many Skins, On Rhythm, Kua Etnika (Jakarta) and Window to Asia (Hanoi).
In 2004, he was nominated for the ‘Best Solo Performer – Music’ award at the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards. His latest achievement was to be awarded the 2006 APPEX Fellowship from UCLA, USA where he engaged in a cultural and artistic exchange programme. Kamrul is the resident drummer for Rhythm In Bronze.
Isyam Swardy Daud
A music graduate from Akademi Sen Kebangsaan (ASK, presently ASWARA) and majored in guitar studying with Farid Ali and Rosdan Abbas. He has recorded four albums with a commercial pop rock group and has been seriously involved in jazz music since 2001. He was the winner of the 1996 Yamaha Guitar Ensemble and has played with Greg Lyons, Lewis Pragasam, Michael Veerapen, Zailan Razak, Suflan and Lee Hom. Isyam Swardy was also music director for theatre projects such as Ribut and Mak Yong Dewa Muda. He has also performed extensively in arts festivals in Singapore, Phillipines and Japan, and is proud to have played at the Puteri Gunung Ledang film promotion at the 2004 Venice Film Festival. Isyam is the resident guitarist and percussionist for Rhythm In Bronze.
Susan Sarah John
Susan has been a freelance gamelan musician with the Gamelan Club and Rhythm In Bronze since 1997, performing in Kickback, Suara, Temper: Spirit of Gamelan and all Rhythm In Bronze concerts since 1999. She has also been involved as a composer, arranger and musician in theatre productions such as Ops Ophelia!, Box of Delights, GEDEBE, Festival Monodrama 2002 and Saksi, KL Music Fest, 2008 Singapore Sun Festival as well as traditional performances such as Wayang Kulit (under the late Pak Hamzah Awang Amat), Mak Yong Anak Raja Gondang (under the late Khatijah Awang) and Randai. Still actively composing for stage performances with independant music groups and invidiuals around Kuala Lumpur, Susan is currently tutoring contemporary gamelan at the University Malaya cultural faculty as well as for Hands Percussion Team
Nadia Widyawati Madzhi
Nadia is a lecturer with the Faculty of Music at UiTM and performes with Gamelan Club and Rhythm In Bronze
Shahanum Shah
Shahanum is the dean, Faculty of Music at UiTM and has been playing the gamelan since the 90's. She has performing with Gamelan Club and Rhythm In Bronze eversince
Mohd Zulhilmy bin Zulkifli
A student of ASWARA batch 2007/2008 Diploma in Music, Zul is majoring in arranging and composition. He started playing and felt in love with gamelan music when studying in Aswara and has been involved in gamelan events such as Festival Gendang 2008 in Melaka and Simposium Gamelan Sedunia 2008 at Terengganu. He started playing with Rhythm In Bronze as a sessionist at 2008 – Kedah Jubilee. Zul is also a bassist for a rock blues band, Cats In Love and also a sessionist when needed.
Rosemary Ho
Raised in Seremban, Rosemary started her first electone lesson when she was 4. At 11, she picked up another instrument, piano. In 2005, Rosemary was graduated from University Malaya where she studied music, earning a degree in Performing Arts. She was the member of Rhythm In Bronze since 2007 and was one of the Alih Punggong performers.
Wan Mohd Nor Haffizy
A talented gambang player and guitarist. Wan is a graduate from Aswara and currently teaching school bands. Wan has been a guest player for Rhythm in Bronze since 2008.