Beyond the Ensemble: Immersive Study of Gamelan and Community Life in Bali

Melody Tang, a Graduate Fellow in the Certificate in World Performance Studies program who is pursuing dual master’s degrees in Percussion Performance and Chamber Music, spent a month in Bali, Indonesia, conducting immersive research into gamelan performance and its relationship to Balinese community life. In the account below, Tang reflects on her musical studies, participation in village traditions, and growing understanding of how music and art are woven into both everyday life and significant communal occasions.

From May 31 to July 1, I studied abroad in Bali, Indonesia, primarily focusing on the performance of various types of gamelan, including gong kebyar and gender wayang. Gamelan is an Indonesian ensemble featuring pitched knob gongs, metallophones, bamboo flutes called suling, and sometimes vocalists. Each day, I studied these instruments for four hours with Wayan Rachman and Pak Dewa Sakura.

After my lessons, I attended local dance, singing, and drum rehearsals, as well as composition workshops at kings’ houses and performances at Bali Arts Festival. It was an incredible experience immersing myself in the artistic life of the village. Being involved in village life taught me about the Indonesian principle of suka duka, a phrase meaning the “joys and sorrows” or “ups and downs” of life. The village is a communal space where people are intimately intertwined in one another’s lives, sharing both celebration and grief.

Suka: During my trip, I was invited to attend two Balinese weddings and experienced the joy of new beginnings. I played with villagers’ children and pets, went on motorbike rides to local warung (roadside food stalls), laughed with locals, exchanged language lessons and tips, and celebrated Galungan (the triumph of good over evil), Odalan (a temple anniversary ceremony), and Kuningan (a celebration of life and prosperity).

Duka: I also attended a ngaben (cremation ceremony) for the mother of a girl my age. I grieved alongside the villagers as we gathered to say goodbye, experiencing firsthand the way a community comes together in moments of loss.

Overall, this trip was more than a musical exploration. I learned conversational Bahasa Indonesia, experienced the beautiful hospitality and family structure of the Balinese people, and observed a society in which music and art are deeply embedded in daily life, from clothing and floral decorations to the music that accompanies every occasion.

My time in Bali taught me that music and its pedagogy are not simply something performed; teaching music is a living part of the community, woven into both its greatest celebrations and its deepest moments of sorrow.