Indonesian Incursion

Gamelan Incursion 

On Thursday 17th October Indonesian students participated in a Gamelan Orchestra workshop presented by Bagus Kan! 

Students learnt about the importance of music within Indonesian culture. They also learnt to play several traditional instruments such as the saron, bonang, kendang, kempul, kethuk, kenong and gong. By the end of the session students were able to play a simple song together as a class. 

Kristeen Quarrier – Languages Curriculum Area Leader 

Some thoughts from the students: 

The Gamelan performance and workshop offered a great opportunity for us to experience a cultural aspect of Indonesia that we wouldn't usually get to learn about and participate in. Thanks to this hands-on and immersive activity, we gained a valuable understanding of the musical side of Javanese culture and were able to listen to and perform a traditional melody. – Charlie, Year 10 

It was a good new experience that is unique, it was immersive and allowed us to participate in the practices of another culture. – Matilda, Year 10 

I really liked the Gamelan incursion, and I thought it was a really good way to get students involved in Indonesian culture through an interactive experience. I liked how you got to try a range of different instruments which I thought made the incursion even more enjoyable. I also really enjoyed learning about the culture through music, so I found it a good learning experience. – Skye, Year 8 

‘It was cool to see and I liked using the instruments.’ – Sam, Year 7