TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The international gamelan festivity Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival (YGF) will be held for a whole week from August 20-26, 2023. Project Director YGF28 Ishari Sahid or better known as Ari Wulu said that there are several differences to this year's festival.

"The differences lie in the series of events and the gamelan concert. Meanwhile, the workshop and cultural discussion is still going to be present," said Ari Wulu on Thursday, August 10, 2023.

The event will be officiated with a showcase entitled Gaung Gamelan (Gamelan's Echo) in Kridosono Stadium on Sunday, August 20, 2023. The showcase will be open to the public and tourists, with 700 karawitan artists from 28 karawitan groups playing with 28 pangkon, or the specific platform to place gamelan.

"The karawitan groups will play two gending or compositions, namely Ladrang Prosesi composed by Sapto Raharjo and Ladrang Santi Mulya," Ari Wulu said.

Gaung Gamelan will showcase a dance performance, music performance, and a wayang kulit puppet show in the evening.

Meanwhile, the Gamelan workshop will be held from August 21-23, 2023 in Gayam16 House, Yogyakarta. The speakers are artists, practicians, and academics who will discuss gamelan development.

The Cultural Discussion event will be held on August 23, 2023. "The event is a communication platform with the purpose to preserve and develop gamelan and other art forms," said Ari.

The newest addition to the festival is Gamelan Dinner in Pendopo Agung Royal Ambarrukmo on August 23 starting from 19:00 p.m. to 21:00 p.m. The dinner is intended to unite gamelan artists and gamelan enthusiasts. It is planned to be open for visitors with a prior reservation.

The festival will peak with a three-day gamelan concert in Plaza Ngasem Yogyakarta on August 24-26 starting from 19:00 to 22:00. The Gamelan Concert will invite artists from across Indonesia and abroad, such as Yogyakarta, Jepara, Cirebon, Pamekasan, Padang, India, Semarang, West Lombok, Mexico, and Malaysia.

Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival is a celebration of gamelan, a place to gather gamelan artists and enthusiasts from across the globe, which has been organized since 1994 by the late Sapto Raharjo.

PRIBADI WICAKSONO

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