Gamelan, the traditional ensemble music of Indonesia, has long been established as a fantastic musical culture for UK students to experience. It is both accessible and musically appealing, yet different enough from students' everyday musical encounters to provide a fascinating glimpse into another aesthetic world.
Consisting mainly of percussion instruments, the gamelan orchestra offers a fun, hands-on experience suitable for students of all ages. It is no surprise that gamelan is a popular topic for school music lessons, perhaps especially at Key Stage 3.
I come from Java so for me the gamelan tradition isn't ‘different’, but it certainly is special. I spent a six-month residency in the UK earlier this year, inspired by my friends at Jakarta's Indonesia Heritage Society to lead and assist with gamelan workshops in schools across the south of England. I loved sharing my passion for our unique culture, working alongside British students, teachers and musicians who were all generous with their time and amazingly welcoming to someone learning about UK culture and customs.
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