I keep walking around saying to everyone who will listen that Champaign Urbana is a veritable hotbed of musical diversity, and here’s a show that proves it.
On Saturday April 27th, the Robert E. Brown Center for World Music is putting on a free public performance by the Balinese Gamelan ensembles at the Music Building Auditorium. Gamelan is a style of music from Indonesia, and is played by an ensemble, on several types of (primarily) percussive instruments (read a past Smile Politely article that talks more about gamelan here). Balinese Gamelan is characterized by quick changes in tempo, and complex rhythms that shift throughout the performance. The sounds are unfamiliar to many western ears, mine included, and are dynamic and interesting. Saturday’s performers are directed by I Ketut Gede Asnawa.
Alongside the music, this performance will feature Balinese dance under the direction of Putu Oka Mardiani Asnawa. This year, performers are joined by I Nyoman Catra, one Bali’s foremost masters of traditional Balinese topeng (masked) dance/theater. You can check out a video of topeng dancing here.
Even if you aren’t able to make it to the performance, you should check out gamelan music. Below is a video of the UIUC Balinese gamelan and dance performance from 2015.