QUEENSLAND CONSERVATORIUM GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY
i’ve been g oin g
straitside
an artistic research project by Charlene Cloud Tan
exploring Nusantaran musical practices to inform compositional becoming
featuring rentak (rhythm) ensemble, angklung ensemble, (IndoAngklung Brisbane), & QCGU Gamel an E nse m ble free to attend, all ages welcome!
24th September 2026 • 7-8.30 pm QCGU Courtyard (140 Grey St)
acknowledgement
of country
Charlene Cloud Tan and the performers of the concert i’ve been going straitside acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land – the Jagera and Turrbal peoples – and pay respect to Elders, past and present; extending that respect to all other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today and beyond.
First Peoples | Griffith University
National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Music Office (NATSIMO)
acknowledgement
of (own) country i’ve been going straitside would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the music presented today – the Brunei Malays of Sarawak, Sabah and Laduan, and the people keeping kompang and rentak alive today in Malaysia; Central Javanese gamelan players and composers, and songspeople from North Sulawesi, Papua Province, West Java and beyond in Indonesia. Cloud would also like to acknowledge the skillspeople and heritage keepers of the region which they grew up – the Ubin Orang Pulau. Cloud grew up in the Loyang-Upper Changi district of Singapore, Singapore; 11 kilometres from Pulau Ubin. Read about the Ubin Orang Pulau here! | Wan's Ubin Journal Read about the Orang Pulau of Pulau Semakau here! | Orang Laut SG
about this pro j ect The concert i’ve been going straitside is a conclusive activity to round up the solo ethnomusicological and artistic research project I conducted in the first trimester of this year – my final undergraduate year at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University – about how exploring Nusantaran musical practices has informed and will continue to inform my musical becoming as a Southeast Asian creative ethnomusicologist and composer. This concert will feature three main ensembles – rentak (rhythm), angklung, and gamelan – to showcase said exploration, on top of voice and oud performances by myself. This will be accompanied by small-scale worded presentations about this project at large. The pieces in the concert will be made up of my original work, joined by traditional and contemporary Nusantaran works. My hope for this concert and project is to share the richness of Nusantaran music with willing learners and encourage others to explore their own intangible cultural heritage with enthusiasm and vigour. Please enjoy your night, and thank you. Charlene Cloud Tan 陈家琳
biographies composers Charlene Cloud Tan is a globally recognised composerethnomusicologist and Ngee Ann Kongsi Outstanding Young Artist Award winner. They have extensive experience in cultural instrumental composition, specialising in oud performance and fusion. Apart from the oud, they are also trained in classical voice and drum kit performance. They are mentored by award-winning composers Gerardo Dirié and Thomas Green, and have been mentored by Danny Imson, Gu Wei, Sascia Pellegrini and Lee Jinjun. Cloud has premiered widely where they are currently based (Meanjin/Brisbane, Australia) and in their hometown (Singapore, Singapore) – at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), KEPK and the Ian Hanger Recital Hall; and Singapore’s Chinese Cultural Centre, SOTA Concert Hall, and SOTA Drama Theatre – by leading musical acts like Australian Vocal Ensemble (AVÉ), Black Square Collective and Riverside Guitar Ensemble. Currently, Cloud is an oudist and composer for and of traditional Nusantaran (Malay Archipelago) music for The Tides of Nusantara (The Seven Seas of Sage), among many other projects. Contact them at charlenecloudtan@gmail.com for more information about themself or any projects.
Christian Panjaitan is an emerging Indonesian-Australian composer, conductor, pianist, and educator completing a Bachelor of Music (Composition) at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. A two-time Brighter Futures Scholarship recipient, Christian studies under the tutelage of noted composer and flautist, Michal Rosiak, and has received mentorship from major Australian composer, John Rotar. His compositional voice features a lush and instantly appealing blend of neoclassicism and contemporary classical, with a subtle touch of traditional Indonesian music. Equally passionate about conducting, Christian Panjaitan was appointed conductor-in-training with the Brisbane Regional Youth Orchestra for 2026 following his public debut with the orchestra in December 2025. He also currently serves as Acting Assistant Conductor of the Young Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Stefanie Smith.
biographies rentak Jadyn Morgan is a Brisbane composer, percussionist and sound engineer, currently studying his Bachelor's of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Composing in both the acoustic and digital fields, Jadyn loves to explore different genres, styles and cultural music and their techniques.
Christian Lanzafame is a Brisbane- and Toowoomba-based musician who plays percussion, drum kit, and bass guitar. With experience across genres, he performs with the Jindalee Jazz Orchestra and the Queensland Youth Wind Symphony, and he is currently collaborating on a production that fuses orchestra with soul music. He loves jazz fusion, gaming, and cooking.
Selina Tingyue Zheng is a percussionist from China who graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, specialising in Chinese percussion. She is currently completing a Master of Music in Percussion at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. She enjoys exploring different styles of music and collaborating with musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds.
biographies
angklung & gamelan
IndoAngklung Brisbane is a vibrant angklung music group from the Indonesian community in Brisbane, blending tradition with excitement. It is made up of Brisbane-based professionals and students both tertiary and pre-tertiary, dedicated to proudly present the beautiful harmony of Indonesian culture with Brisbane and the world. IndoAngklung Brisbane showcases the angklung’s enchanting timbre by performing at cultural festivals, community events and private functions. With weekly meetups throughout the University of Queensland semesters, hands-on workshops are also offered to those eager to explore angklung playing, from its musical techniques to its rich heritage. Keep in touch @indoangklungbrisbane on Instagram or email at indoangklungbrisbane@gmail.com.
With marketed concerts starting as early as 2009, the QGCU Gamelan Ensemble has nurtured generations of Conservatorium students in Central Javanese gamelan playing, even performing with esteemed dalang (puppeteer) Pak Joko Susilo, Hardjodikoro Soegito, Ilona Wright, and Julia Pope. Recently, under the tutelage of Lena Ito, the ensemble bookended MONO x Ipswich Art Gallery, a collaboration which facilitated many musical acts local to Ipswich and South-east Queensland. This event was the first time that the gamelan, which has been on loan from Gregg Howard since 2007, was taken outside the Queensland Conservatorium building in more than twenty years. (Photos by Tangible Media . Supplied courtesy of @ipswichartgallery )
Rujak
Christian Panjaitan (b. 2006)
To s t a r t of f i’ ve b e e n g o i n g s t ra i t s i d e , Ru j a k i s a s t re a m- of - cons c ious ne s s po t pour r i o f fol ky mo t i f s a nd me lodie s , fe a t ur i ng t he Java ne s e s u l i n g ( flut e ) a nd k e n d a n g ( dr ums ) . Ruj a k i s a t y pe of s a l a d whic h i s a s t a ple of t he Nus a nt a r a , or i gi na t i ng i n Java . It po pul a rly compr i s e s a pot pour r i ( ha ! ) of sl ic e d f r uit a nd ve g e t a ble s . Cont r a s t i ngly, i n Si nga po re a nd Ma l ay s i a , it i s known a s r o j a k ; it a l s o cont a i ns s e a foo d a nd me a t t ha nks to I ndi a n Musl i m i nflue nc e s . It i s dr i zzle d wit h a s pic y, t a ng y pa l m s uga r – g u l a j a wa i n I ndone s i a , g u l a me l a k a i n Si nga pore a nd Ma l ay s i a – dre s s i ng, whic h i s o f t e n ma de wit h shr i mp pa s t e . Mmmm! Suling: Christian Panjaitan Kendang: Charlene Cloud Tan
Credits to Bandoeng22
Credits to JohorKaki
rentak ensemble Phone, Wallet, Keys Charlene Cloud Tan (b. 2005) A f t e r D r A d e l i n e Wo n g ’s p ort r aya l of the thre e pi l la r s o f M i n a n g ka b a u s o c ie ty – an I ndon e sia n eth n ic g ro u p w it h a l a rg e p o pu l a t io n i n Nege r i S embi lan , Mal ay s ia , wh e re sh e g re w u p – i n S e m b i l a n ( 2 0 2 2 ) , C lo u d t h o u g ht to c u r a t e a piec e a b out wh a t t hey su r mi s e are t h e t h re e “ pi l l a r s ” o f u r ban s ocie ty. P h o n e , Wa l l e t , Ke y s wa s w r it t e n w it h a re nta k trio in m i nd, w ith ke e n i n s pi r a t io n f ro m m a r wa s a nd komp a ng conf i g ur a tio n s , pl ay s t yle s , a nd g e o g r a phic i nflu enc e s fro m Qa t ar a nd Ma l ay s i a . Oud: Charlene Cloud Tan Rentak 1: Christian Lanzafame Rentak 2: Jadyn Morgan Rentak 3: Selina Tingyue Zheng
rentak ensemble
Arus Emas (Golden Tide), Battle Music #1, Battle Music #2
Instagram @sevenseasofsage
Charlene Cloud Tan (b. 2005), for The Tides of Nusantara T h e s e pie c e s t e a s e s o undt rac ks f rom T he Tide s o f Nu s a nt a r a , wh ic h i s an a u dio d r ama by S eve n S ea s o f S a g e Pro d u c t io n s , re le as i ng i n 2 0 27. It i s a So ut h ea s t A s i a n pi r a t e f a nt a s y a ud io d r ama ser ies w rit t en by E l G oh a nd Um ay B e z e n . Two years after being framed and on the run for her father’s murder, Princess Maz turns to the Act of Freedom, a pardon exclusively meant for pirates, in order to clear her name. The only problem is… Maz isn’t a pirate. With the help of the eccentric Captain Tri Jvarah, her quest to become a pirate leads her deeper into a heist for ancient treasure. An overly ambitious crew, a fight with Chaos itself, all to rob a dimension hitherto unbreached. Five pirates, one heist. What could possibly go wrong?
I f t h i s i nt e re s t s yo u gre atly, and yo u wou ld li ke to l i s t e n to T h e Tid e s o f Nu sant ara upo n re leas e , fol low @ s e ve n s e a s o f s a g e o n I nst a gra m fo r up d ate s ! Ly r ic s fo r Ar u s E m a s a nd p e r fo r me r c re d it s fo r al l t h re e pie c e s co nt i nu e in the nex t pa g e.
rentak ensemble
Arus Emas (Golden Tide)
Lyrics for Arus Emas by Christian Panjaitan
Instagram @sevenseasofsage
Lyrics (Bahasa Indonesia)
Translation (English)
Angin laut berbisik pelan, Bulan jatuh di atas ombak; Petik tali tenang di badan, Pulang rasa ke dalam napak.
Soft wind over silent sea, Moonlight falls on drifting foam. Touch the string and breathe with me, Call the heart to journey home.
Jiwa bersandar pada air, Arus emas, napas kelam; Nada benar jadi penawar, Salah petik, maut kan datang.
Hold the soul the waters keep, Golden tide or shadowed breath. Notes may heal or lead to sleep, Play it true or face certain death.
Oud: Charlene Cloud Tan Rentak 1: Jadyn Morgan Rentak 2: Christian Lanzafame Rentak 3: Selina Tingyue Zheng
Adai Adai
Brunei Malay traditional
Adai Adai i s a traditional fol k dance performed by the Brunei Mal ay peoples of Brunei Darussal am, with accompanyi ng song. The lyrics loosely transl ate i nto a scene which resonates across coastal traditions – seafarers go out i nto the open water to earn thei r keep, whi le thei r expectant and doti ng fami l ies wait onshore for thei r safe arrival home. W hi le not enti rely i n either Bahasa Mel ayu ( Mal ay) or Bahasa Indonesi a ( Indonesi an) , some words ri ng true i n both l ang uages – l angit membi ru, “the sky turns blue”; angi n berl alu; “the wi nd breezes”. Thi s rendition of Adai Adai i s performed vocal ly, accompanied by the oud, which wi l l be pl ayi ng i n the regional ly characteri stic gambus nusantara style; named after the region and one of the oud’s descendants, the gambus.
Princess Patricide
Charlene Cloud Tan (b. 2005)
Thi s i s a short song-i n-development, pl ayed i n the style of Adai Adai . It tel l s the story of the Javanese pri ncess Radi n Mas Ayu, i n hopes to “turn the tide” on her story. Pun i ntended? Radi n Mas Ayu came to Si ngapura ( Si ngapore) with her father, the warrior pri nce Pangeran Adipati , after an i nsidiously plotted fi re ki l led her mother and hi s wi fe. The story takes many twi sts and turns and ends i n woe, but she i s remembered dearly for her devotion to her father. Her legacy persi sts i n the names of a Si ngaporean pri mary school , community centre and housi ng estate, and her memori al , Keramat Radi n Mas, rests at the foot of Mount Faber.
Oud, voice: Charlene Cloud Tan
angklung ensemble Si Patokaan
North Sulawesi traditional
Si Pa t o k a a n ’s ly r ic s or i gi na t e i n Nor t h Sul awe s i , a nd it i s commonly pl aye d a t t r a dit iona l c ult ur a l e ve nt s . The y s pe a k of a mot he r ’s wor r ie s a nd conc e r n fo r he r c hi ld, whos e na me i s Si Pa toka a n, who ha s mi g r a t e d for work. Thi s s e nt i me nt i s f a mi l i a r i n Nor t h Sul awe s i , a pl a c e whe re it i s na t ur a l fo r grown- up c hi ldre n to le ave t he i r home towns be hi nd.
Manuk Dadali Sambas Mangundikarta (b. 1926)
Ma n u k Da d a l i ’s ly r ic s or i gi na t e i n We s t Java , a nd t he y a re i n t he Sunda ne s e l a ng ua ge . The t it le me a ns “ Ga r uda bi rd” – t he na t iona l bi rd of I ndone s i a . Thi s i s a pa t r iot ic s ong pr a i s i ng t he Ga r uda bi rd , s i ng i ng of it s va l i a nc e , cour a ge , mi ght a nd re s pe c t . The compos e r, Sa mba s Ma ng undi ka r t a , worke d a s a broa dc a s t e r for t he RRI Ba ndung r a dio s t a t io n a t t he t i me , a nd it wa s of t e n s t re a me d on r a dio a s a re s ult . Played by IndoAngklung Brisbane
angklung ensemble Yamko Rambe Yamko Rambe Yamko Yamko Grime Valley, Papua provincial traditional
Thi s i s a Pa pua n prov i nc i a l s o ng. It s c he e r f ul me lodie s be l ie a de e pe r, s a dde r me a ni ng. It t e l l s of e ve nt s whic h ha ppe ne d i n 193 2, s pe c i f ic a l ly whe n Pa pua ns wa nt e d to le ave I ndo ne s i a a nd e s t a bl i sh t he ms e lve s a s a s ove re i gn na t ion. Di f fe re nt ve r s io ns of t he s ong have va r y i ng s to r ie s , but t wo o f t he m re l ay t he wa r be t we e n Pa pua n t r ibe s a nd t he i nt roduc t ion of Pa pua n s ove re i gnt y, bre a ki ng away f rom be i ng t e r r itor y be lo ngi ng to I ndo ne s i a .
Mimpi
Charlene Cloud Tan (b. 2005) · Mi mp i i s a ve r s ion of a pie c e whic h wi l l be pro pe rly i nt roduc e d l a t e r, a nd t ha t i s c a l le d Mi mp i Bu r u k . It s na me me a ns “dre a m” , s o it i s t he c a l m be fo re t he s tor m, t he dre a m be fore t he ni ght ma re …! A y o u n g ma n s l e e p s wi t h h i s n e w kr i s ( a c e re mo n i a l d a g g e r ) u n d e r h i s p i l l o w t o t e s t h i s c o mp a t i b i l i t y wi t h i t . Fo l l o wi n g t h e Ja va n e s e l e g e n d , if h e h a s a n u n d i s t u rb e d s l e e p , h e h a s f o u n d h i s k r i s . If h e d o e s n o t … Played by IndoAngklung Brisbane
gamelan ensemble Ujancerah
“rain and shine”
Christian Panjaitan (b. 2006) Uj a n c e ra h , loos e ly t r a nsl a t i ng to 'r a i n- shi ne ' , i s a n or i gi na l ga me l a n co mpos it ion t ha t e x plo re s t he cont r a s t be t we e n t he ge nt le s t i l l ne s s o f r a i n a nd t he e ne rg y a nd br i ght ne s s t ha t fol lows it s pa s s i ng. The e nt i re pie c e i s ba s e d on a di s t i nc t ly r us t ic me lo dy de r ive d f rom a fol k t une Chr i s t i a n ha d he a rd whi le t r ave l l i ng to t he Ce nt r a l Java n c it y o f Solo i n 2023 . The pie c e ope ns wit h i mprov i s e d s olo s for k e n d a n g ( dr um) a nd s u l i n g ( flut e ) , whic h a c t a s a c a l l to ga t he r t he re s t of t he me t a l lopho ne s i n pro c l a i mi ng t he ma i n t he me . The f i r s t fe w slow it e r a t io ns o f t hi s t he me for m t he 'r a i n' por t ion of t he work, be fore giv i ng way to a muc h l ive l ie r 'shi ne ' s e c t io n, br i ngi ng t he wo rk to a powe r f ul a nd v iv id c lo s e . Played by the QCGU Gamelan Ensemble Suling: Christian Panjaitan Kendang: Mia McKinnon Slenthem: Belita Welsh Gender: Lena Ito Saron: Laura McCormick, Charlene Cloud Tan, Jorel James, Christian Lanzafame, Jadyn Morgan Kempul, gongs: Kieran van Acker
gamelan ensemble Puspawårnå
“kinds of flowers”
attr. Prince Mangkunegara IV of Surakarta (reigned 1853-1881, b. 1811) Thi s pie c e i s known for it s fe a t ure o n t he Voya ge r Golde n Re cord, whic h wa s s e nt a bo a rd t he Voya g e r 1 s pa c e c r a f t to gre e t pro s pe c t ive e x t r a t e r re s t r i a l s who mi ght l i s t e n to it . The e dit ion on t he Golde n Re co rd wa s re corde d by Robe r t E. Brown a nd pl aye d by t he cour t ga me l a n of Pa ku Al a ma n, Yog ya ka r t a . Pr i nc e Ma ngkune ga r a I V comme mor a t e s hi s f avo ur it e wive s a nd conc ubi ne s i n t he t e x t o f t hi s ni ne - s t a n za pie c e . The y a re e a c h l i ke ne d to di f fe re nt ki nds o f flowe r s , he nc e t he na me . The y i nc lude k e n c u r ( a roma t ic gi nge r, ga l a nga l ) , b l i mb i n g ( s t a r f r uit ) , d u re n ( dur i a n) , a re n ( s uga r pa l m) , g e d h a n g ( ba na na ) , j a t i ( t e a k) , j a mb é / j a mb u ( be t e l t re e / wa t e r a pple ) , k a p a s ( gos s y pium) , a nd p a n d a n ( s c re w nut ) . I love pa nda n s o I unde r s t a nd wha t he ’s t a l ki ng a bo ut . Played by the QCGU Gamelan Ensemble Slenthem: Belita Welsh Saron: Laura McCormick, Charlene Cloud Tan, Jorel James, Christian Lanzafame, Jadyn Morgan Bonang barung: Christian Panjaitan Bonang panerus: Lena Ito Kempul, gongs: Kieran van Acker Kendang: Mia McKinnon
gamelan ensemble Mimpi Buruk
“nightmare”
Charlene Cloud Tan (b. 2005) A y o u n g ma n s l e e p s wi t h h i s n e w kr i s ( a c e re mo n i a l d a g g e r ) u n d e r h i s p i l l o w t o t e s t h i s c o mp a t i b i l i t y wi t h i t . Fo l l o wi n g t h e Ja va n e s e l e g e n d , if h e h a s a n u n d i s t u rb e d s l e e p , h e h a s f o u n d h i s k r i s . If h e d o e s n o t … Mi mp i Bu r u k i s Cloud’s t a ke on t he Java ne s e ga me l a n l a n ca ra n for m, pic ki ng a pa r t a “ni ght ma re mo t i f ” to s c a t t e r t hrough e a c h of t he ga me l a n’s i ns t r ume nt s . It ha s a ga me l a n ve r s ion i n s l e n d r o ma ny u rå , ( t he s l e n d r o s c a le , wit h t he ma ny u rå mode ) a nd a We s t e r n c ha mbe r orc he s t r a ve r s ion. It cont a i ns t he s a me mus ic a l ma t e r i a l a s Mi mp i , whic h i s a pie c e a l s o de v i s e d by Cloud for a ngklung e ns e mble . Played by the Folkloric Fantasies Chamber Orchestra
Played by the QCGU Gamelan Ensemble
Flute: Laura Skorzewski Clarinet: Jethro Caitens Glockenspiel: Thomas Quelhurst Harp: Jon Trotta Piano: Bradley Nolan Violin 1: Ally Liu Violin 2: Madi Sim Viola: Eben Yeh Violoncello: James Pollard Contrabass: Jessica Clarke
Slenthem: Belita Welsh Saron barung: Laura McCormick, Charlene Cloud Tan Saron demung: Jorel James, Christian Lanzafame, Jadyn Morgan Bonang barung: Christian Panjaitan Kempul, gongs: Kieran van Acker Gender: Lena Ito Kendang: Mia McKinnon
concert acknowledgements Supervisors Dr Catherine Grant Dr Thomas Green Stage and Concert Management Helpers Sebastian Burow Emma Olsen Grace Wellik Video Capture Tay Herson Raima Ahmad Flynn Cornish Chiara di Pietro Concert Recording Ky Fulwood Blake Ballard James Pollard Administration Chloe Forbes Michael Hibbard Timothy Tate Liz Tyson-Doneley Joshua White
Rentak Ensemble Christian Lanzafame Jadyn Morgan Selina Tingyue Zheng Angklung Ensemble IndoAngklung Brisbane Gamelan Ensemble Lena Ito Jorel James Christian Lanzafame Jadyn Morgan Laura McCormick Mia McKinnon Christian Panjaitan Kieran van Acker Belita Welsh Advisors and Inspiration The Seven Seas of Sage Productions Syafiqah ‘Adha Azrin Abdullah Dr Adeline Wong