20 Indian Students Perform Gamelan Music at UC

January 20, 2025

CULTURAL ACCULTURATION: For two weeks, students from OP Jindal Global University, India, learned to play gamelan at Ciputra University (UC). They also combined Javanese and Indian music.

SURABAYA – Twenty students from OP Jindal Global University, India, performed gamelan music at Ciputra University (UC) yesterday (January 19). They learned this traditional instrument after studying for two weeks.

During the performance, the students played a rather interesting combination of songs. Some Javanese songs were combined with Indian songs, and some Indian songs were Javaneseized.

UC International Business Management lecturer Henry Susanto Pranoto mentored the Indian students in learning gamelan. Before learning traditional Javanese music, Henry taught them about Javanese culture and etiquette. “Preparation is important before they learn to play gamelan. Because here I want to teach tradition combined through music,” he explained yesterday (January 19).

Meanwhile, Gracia Ongkowijoyo, the person in charge of Discover Indonesia: Business, Innovation, and Culture, explained that the activity allowed students from different campuses to collaborate. “They participated in many activities, including exhibitions at village MSMEs. They also learned about various cultures and arts,” she added.

According to Gracia, the activity also encouraged students to observe the business potential of local residents. “We invited them to evaluate our students’ products. The goal was to identify potential in the international market, especially the Indian market,” she explained. (ama/aph)