Gamelan set for 30 players

The gamelan orchestras of Indonesia have been part of their country’s heritage for more than a millennium and still draw crowds today. They create magical soundscapes to enhance cultural and religious festivals and often accompany traditional puppet shows and dance displays. Thanks to Percussion Workshop, students in the Western world can now learn about this fascinating music and form their own gamelan ensembles without having to travel thousands of miles.

This classroom pack is supplied with everything you’ll need to start making music straight away and includes enough instruments for 30 players to take part. The full contents is listed below:

• 3x gongs (30cm 'kenong', 50cm 'kempul' , 80cm 'ageng')
• 1x 4 pan 'bonang' lateral gongs (for two players)
• 1x Balinese double headed 'ciblon' drum with calfskin head
• 9x metallophone gamelans (3 small, 3 medium, and 3 large)
• 15x sets of 'ceng ceng' Balinese cymbals
• Beaters for all the instruments
• Teachers’ pack compiled by World Music expert Andy Gleadhill

All the gamelan are made using authentic methods and materials by experienced percussion builders in Indonesia. Each gong is made with a weighty bronze bell for optimum resonance, and their collapsible frames are topped with amazing carved dragons. The metallophone resonator boxes are very sturdily constructed and finished with hand-painted gold patterns.

No two orchestras are exactly alike and each island has its own special traditions, but the gamelan in this bundle are designed to represent a combination of the traditions of Java, Bali, and Sumatra. For practicality’s sake, all the pitched instruments have had their tuning standardised to allow future expansion of the ensemble.