Non-Traditional and World-Music Ensembles

The Department of Music offers several non-traditional and world-music ensembles. For audition and rehearsal information, contact the directors of each ensemble, as listed below.

Appalachian String Band

Director: Tripp Johnson

Indonesian Gamelan

Director: Ethan Lechner

The William and Mary Gamelan is a set of impressive hanging gongs, kettle gongs, and xylophones on beautifully carved and painted wooden stands.  The set of instruments was crafted in Central Java and was purchased with the help of the first William and Mary Freeman Grant in 2004.  The official name of the gamelan at William and Mary is "Gamelan Tunjung Baskara" or Sun Lotus.  The Javanese musician/dalang/teacher Midiyanto named the instruments in a special ceremony in March 2006.   The group meets on Tuesdays at 4:30pm for beginners and 7:00pm for intermediate players. 

Middle Eastern Music Ensemble

Director: Anne Rasmussen

Established in 1994, the William and Mary Middle Eastern Music Ensemble is composed of 15-25 primarily undergraduate students who come to the group with excellent musicianship, but no prior experience with the Arab, Turkish, Persian, Armenian and Greek traditions that comprise the music of the Middle East.  The ensemble, an extension of the ethnomusicology curriculum in the Music Department at W&M, is a forum for exploration and performance.

Performance Art Ensemble

Director: Greg Bowers

The Performance Art Ensemble, now in its 12th year at William and Mary, is an interdisciplinary workshop for artists and enthusiasts of all disciplines.  The ensemble convenes every spring semester (listed as MUSC E22: Performance Art Ensemble).  Members work individually and collectively to generate material that advances commonly held notions about art, performance, media, and the creative process.  The group frequently tours, most recently to New York City and Yale University, and performs annually at the end of spring semester.  The group is dedicated to creative freedom and exploration and forms cohesion through development of trust, mutual respect, and honesty.  Any and all who are interested in Avant-garde, experimental, collaborative, and interdisciplinary performance, are welcome although there are a limited number of spaces.