Balinese Storytelling Brought to Life in “Sonic Dissonance"

Published on 26 January 2023

Robyn Yuwell wrote her first book “Sonic Dissonance: the Music and Life of Composer Yudane” while being incapacitated by chemotherapy in an effort to alleviate boredom and entertain.

On Saturday, 24 January, more than a year after publishing her book, Robyn, supported by Yudane and their children, held her first author’s talk at Central Library, Upper Hutt.  The event was attended by Muhammad Ryan Fathoni, Second Secretary from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Wellington, members of Gamelan Wellington, residents of Upper Hutt and many others.

“I was born on the day of Tumpek Wayang on a Saturday, the luckiest day of the week.  Tumpek Wayang is one of the special days in the Balinese calendar and happens every 210 days, or six months, and always falls on a Saturday.  It’s the most mystical of all Balinese ceremonies and celebrates magic and all of the many sacred performing arts, such as the traditional wayang kulit puppet theatre; the masked topeng dances; and performances of the much-loved barong…”

Robyn brought Balinese storytelling to life when she interweaved selected readings from the book with music carefully chosen by Yudane to play alongside her narrative.  She subtly sought to entertain her audience and at the same time, her musically enriched book-sharing afternoon brought communities from all over Wellington to come together in Upper Hutt to listen to her share stories about Yudane, her incredibly musically talented husband whose music has left its marks on communities beyond the shores of Bali and New Zealand. 

“When I return to Bali after the pandemic, I will drive by taxi from the airport back along the sweep of the freeway. Winding down the windows, the warm sweet smell of frangipani flowers, incense, clove cigarettes and sea salt air will brush against me… the statistics on covid deaths in Bali will not be officially recorded, but we will hear on the front veranda of a friend’s house or through chance meetings at a warung… I will only hear of our losses slowly, quietly as the evening stretches out long into the night…”

The insights into Yudane’s life left the audience wanting to learn more about one of Bali’s most talented composers who carved a unique path across the landscape of new music composition worldwide.

Many in the audience stayed behind after Robyn has wrapped up her sharing to chat with the couple.

“Sonic Dissonance” was published on 19 August 2021 during the pandemic and was launched in New Zealand on 8 August 2022 at The Long Hall at Roseneath in Wellington.

Watch a short clip of Robyn's author talk at Central Library.

Learn about Robyn Yuwell. 

Learn about Yudane and his works.

Watch the couple’s virtual interview with Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in 2021.