Musical Dialogues with Tradition: Gamelan Music from Bali

Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 7:30pm

Presented by Gamelan Gita Asmara

For their 25th anniversary season, Gamelan Gita Asmara (GGA) presents the music of early 20th century Balinese composer Wayan Lotring alongside GGA director and UBC DMA Composition student Putu Swaryandana’s recent compositions. Lotring’s genre-melding Gambangan is presented alongside Swaryandana’s Gambangan 2.0, a modernised “sequel” that brings Lotring’s ideas into the 21st century by incorporating ear-bending modal twists and quintuple rhythms. Longitude II combines the reong gong-row instrument with saxophones, blending them through innovative yet undeniably Balinese approaches to rhythm. Swaryandana’s Garum and Sate Lilit provide calm yet lively contrasts. GGA’s program concludes with a mid-20th century classic, Oleg Tamulilingan, a virtuosic dance duet that tells a story of two bees in love, performed by international guest dancers Dewa Ayu Larassanti and Shoko Yamamuro.

About Gamelan Gita Asmara

Founded in 2001, Gamelan Gita Asmara is Vancouver’s premiere Balinese Gamelan ensemble. A community group based at UBC, GGA has concertised yearly throughout the BC lower mainland area, including The Chan Centre, The Annex, The Roundhouse, Performance Works, Anvil Theatre, and local tours in the Gulf Islands. In 2013, they performed across Bali, bringing innovative musical offerings forged through long-term collaboration with Balinese artists back to their source. GGA’s former teachers include Dewa Alit, Wayan Sudirana, and I Putu Gede Sukaryana (Balot). In their 25th anniversary year, they are grateful to receive support from the Vancouver Foundation.

More information: https://sites.google.com/view/gamelangitaasmara