The traditional Indonesian performance arts group Gamelan Dwara Udyani will perform at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, in the atrium of the Burton D. Morgan Center (150 Ridge Road). The performance is free and open to the public.

Gamelan Dwara Udyani follows the tradition of Balinese Angklung gamelan and serves both Denison and the greater Granville communities. The group became officially established when esteemed Balinese musician Nyoman Saudin pronounced the traditional Hindu blessing on the ensemble. Bali is unique in Indonesia in that while 90 percent of the country is Muslim, Bali remains traditionally Hindu. Angklung Gamelan represents holy music generally played in Hindu temples in Bali. The name Dwara Udyani, given by Nyoman, translates as “The Gate to the Heavens” and refers to the spot on Denison’s south quad, just across from the stairs leading up the hill, where the group practices in nice weather.

Angklung Gamelan is an ancient tradition learned entirely aurally, so no written manuscripts of the music exist. Thus the learning process is entirely communal and individual pieces can be preserved only by being passed from one player to another. This performance will be unique because while it includes mostly traditional selections, original student compositions will be featured as well.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville — The traditional Indonesian performance arts group Gamelan Dwara Udyani will perform at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, in the atrium of the Burton D. Morgan Center (150 Ridge Road). The performance is free and open to the public.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

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