St. David's Hall

Gamelan workshops and regular playing sessions

The St David's Hall Gamelan was commissioned and brought from Java to Cardiff in 1998.

Since then thousands of people of all ages have enjoyed playing and listening to the music of the gamelan.

In September 2003 we were delighted to welcome our gamelan's Javanese maker, Pak Tentrem Sarwanto, to Wales.

Like many other gamelan at that time the St David's Hall set of bronze instruments, in both pelog and slendro, benefitted from Pak Tentrem Sarwanto's skills by having a thorough tuning. It now sounds better than ever.

St David's Hall runs an on-going programme of regular gamelan workshops and events. Details of these are given below, however if you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

Workshops offered

Try Gamelan

Roughly once a month we hold family taster workshops on the gamelan. The two-hour sessions are fun, informative and offer something new, whether you're a keen instrumentalist or have no previous musical experience at all.

These workshops take place on Saturday mornings. They are advertised in the St David's Hall programme and places can be booked through the St David's Hall box office.

 

Cardiff Gamelan

Cardiff gamelan meets weekly to play on the St David's Hall's set of Javanese gamelan instruments.

Ever since the gamelan's arrival in 1998 the community group Cardiff Gamelan has met regularly, playing and performing traditional and contemporary Javanese music.

For more information see the contact details below.

Schools' introductory gamelan workshops

Keystage 2, 3, 4 and beyond

The gamelan is a remarkable inspiration for classroom music-making from Keystage 2 (Year 4) through to A-Level.

Two-hour taster sessions introduce pupils to the different instruments of the gamelan and by the end of the workshop the entire group is able to play a traditional Javanese piece together.

For more information see below.

Contact

To find out more about any of the activities above please feel free to contact us at:

artsaccess@cardiff.gov.uk
www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

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