INDO2002 Indonesian Musical Cultures

The topic explores a variety of musical genres in Indonesia, with a focus on popular, folk and classical court styles. Interactions between Indonesian musical genres and cross-cultural influences between Western and Indonesian music are also explored. Weekly practical workshops held in the Pendopo enable students to learn to play a range of compositions for Indonesian gamelan orchestra on a variety of gamelan instruments.

This topic aims to:

• Provide students with an understanding of the diverse range of Indonesian musical genres including popular, folk and classical traditions
• Provide students with basic skills to play simple compositions for Javanese gamelan orchestra, in a variety of musical styles, in different sections of the orchestra

1. Understand the different genres of Indonesian performance arts (folk/popular, classical/traditional, modern/contemporary and regional)
2. Understand gamelan performance as a genre of Indonesian performance
3. Name the different instruments of the Central Javanese gamelan and describe how they are played in a variety of musical pieces
4. Play instruments in each of the three sections (basic melody, embellishing and phrasing sections) of the gamelan orchestra, in the three styles (lancaran, ladrang and srepeg) taught during the semester
5. Identify gamelan influences on Western music
6. Show an awareness of the importance of group performance in playing gamelan music