DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – To commemorate gamelan’s recognition by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Bali is hosting a week-long concert and workshop series titled “Meraya Matra Manawa”, running from 15 to 21 December 2025.
The program is being held at the Bali Art Centre (Taman Budaya) and the ISI Bali campus, and is organized by the Faculty of Performing Arts, ISI Bali, in collaboration with the Bali Provincial Cultural Office.
The series serves both as a celebration and a reflective space to reaffirm gamelan’s role as a source of knowledge, creativity, and civilization.
UNESCO officially inscribed gamelan as an Intangible Cultural Heritage on 15 December 2021, recognizing its deep cultural, philosophical, and artistic significance across Indonesian society.
Prof. Dr. I Gede Yudarta, Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts at ISI Bali, described gamelan as an intellectual masterpiece inherited from past generations.
“Gamelan is an art of sound that reflects human intelligence and civilization. It is not merely cultural wealth, but a living manifestation of thought,” he said on Wednesday, 17 December 2025.
He explained that gamelan compositions embody a sophisticated dialogue of musical elements such as melody, rhythm, dynamics, timbre, and tempo, structured within refined aesthetic principles.
“This intellectual achievement is what deserves to be celebrated through the creation and performance of new compositions,” Yudarta added.
Community Collaboration and Educational Focus
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs of ISI Bali’s Faculty of Performing Arts, I Wayan Diana Putra, said the concert series involves ISI Bali’s academic community alongside various gamelan groups and cultural organizations.
Participating ensembles include Gamelan Nada Tujuh Kerambitan, Gamelan Puri Menara, Cudamani Art Studio, Taksu Agung Art Community, Sekaa Gong Abdi Budaya Banjar Anyar (Tabanan), and Sekaa Gong Dharma Kusuma Banjar Pinda (Gianyar).
Beyond performances, the Meraya Matra Manawa program also features a range of educational and transformative gamelan workshops.
These include a Kebyar composition workshop led by I Wayan Tusti Adnyana, a Saih system workshop for Semarandhana gamelan with Dewa Putu Berata, and a Lelambatan Kekebyaran composition workshop guided by Ketut Gde Asnawa.
Several young ISI Bali alumni who are actively involved in the contemporary karawitan (traditional music) scene are also taking part in the program.
ISI Bali hopes the ongoing UNESCO recognition will serve as a catalyst to strengthen awareness among younger generations of the intellectual, philosophical, and aesthetic values embedded in gamelan, while ensuring its continued relevance in modern cultural life.