UK's Balinese Gamelan Group to Play Louisville

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 8, 2017) — The University of Kentucky Balinese Gamelan will perform as a guest ensemble of the Louisville Orchestra 8 p.m. Saturday, March 11, in the Kentucky Center for the Arts, located at 501 W. Main St., in Louisville. Directed by Donna Kwon, associate professor of ethnomusicology, and guest directed by professor Kuo-Huang Han, professor emeritus of ethnomusicology, the UK Balinese Gamelan Angklung Ensemble will perform two selections. The ensemble consists of 13 members from the UK School of Music.

Balinese gamelan is an integral part of worship and ritual in Balinese life, which will be highlighted in Louisville Orchestra’s event “Classics: Sacred and Profane.” For this event, Teddy Abrams, music director of the Louisville Orchestra, will explore the music of composers in sacred traditions and of composers with a decidedly secular focus.

The ensemble will start with “Tabuh Empat,” a traditional piece from the Abinasemal village, notated and arranged by Han. Following, it will play “Sekar Uled,” a traditional piece from the Sayan village, notated by Colin McPhee and edited by Han.

"Classics: Sacred and Profane" is a ticketed event. Ticket prices range from $27 to $75 and can be purchased on the Kentucky Center’s website.

The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has garnered national recognition for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, music therapy, composition, theory and music history.

For more information about these events, contact Donna Kwon by email at donna.kwon@uky.edu.