Gamelan comes to London’s South Bank

Gamelan is the music of the islands of Indonesia including Java, Bali and Lombok. Its an ensemble form of music featuring instruments such as metallophones, drums and gongs. This weekend the Southbank Centre in London is getting into all things gamelan with three days of activities staring today with a Gamelan Symposium in the Purcell Room where a range of speakers will talk about the gamelan tradition in Europe.

The Southbank Centre’s Ballroom hosts a series of all day Gamelan Workshops on the 8-9 September. They include beginner sessions that are open to anyone and you don’t need any musical experience, the workshops start at 10am on Saturday and 11am on Sunday and tickets cost £5.

Also in the Ballroom tomorrow tonight is Gamelan Wayang, an all-night session of storytelling, shadow-puppetry and music with Javanese master puppeteer Ki Purbo Asmoro, vocalist Sukesi, the Southbank Gamelan Players and Associate Artist Rahayu Supanggah. Gamelan Wayang starts at 10.30pm and tickets cost £12.

The Southbank Centre is close to Waterloo bridge with the nearest Tube Waterloo. Map