The 16-person gamelan ensemble of Gamelan Gita Asmara will take us on a journey down the many paths of gamelan. The evening will begin with a performance of classical Balinese gamelan, after which it will take an experimental turn and feature a special trio performance with members of the ensemble. Balot, an influential member of Indonesian gamelan community and visiting artist and scholar at UBC, leads the ensemble with remarkable energy and a depth of traditional knowledge. On this intimate evening in MOA’s Haida House, the audience will bear witness to what takes shape and what resounds when this ancient and community-based musical tradition from Indonesia finds new pathways in Vancouver.

Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music of Indonesia, made up of mostly percussive instruments consisting of bronze gongs, metal xylophones and drums. The music features an intricate layering of rhythmic patterns and improvisation that creates a mesmerizing and shimmering beauty.

I Putu Gede Sukaryana (Balot) is a musician and composer from the village of Beraban in Tabanan regency of Indonesia. Like most Balinese musicians with conservatory training his competence in gamelan music is broad. He is an active performer with proficiency in multiple gamelan repertoires as well as experience as a tablist. As a principal member of the established arts group (sanggar) Ceraken, he has both performed and composed new works that challenge the distinction between tradition (tradisi) and modern (moderen)—terms with distinct connotations in Bali. His versatility as a musician and interest in musics globally forms a wide sonic palette from which he draws inspiration in his own creativity.

Gamelan Gita Asmara is a Vancouver-based collective dedicated to performing Balinese gamelan and its many international offshoots. By engaging with the local community and collaborating with Canadian, Balinese, and other international artists, they provide opportunities for people to broaden their experiences with disparate musics and cultures.

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