There is no better place to get your dose of culture as the klpac ramps up its activities.

Shows aside, The Actors Studio Academy @ klpac and Gangsapura will be bringing back its Malay Gamelan workshops from 24 September onwards.

Those who frequented the klpac during the weekends pre-pandemic would be familiar with the gentle and soothing sounds of the gamelan being played.

After three years, the award-winning gamelan exponent Gangsapura will bring back its popular Malay Gamelan classes.

After it was brought into Tanah Melayu from Riau-Lingga in the early 19th Century, it enjoyed glorious days in the royal courts before disappearing for some 20 years only to be re-discovered under Istana Kolam in Terengganu in 1967.

Now considered one of our great cultural assets and long-lost treasure, Gangsapura’s Malay Gamelan 101 is a rare opportunity to learn this ancient art form.

The course will cater for both beginners and intermediate level students. Beginners will be taught the manners (adab), different instruments and techniques employed to play each, structure and notation of gamelan music and how to play as a group.

Intermediate students will have a chance to learn how to fuse Malay gamelan playing with Joget Gamelan, how to ‘turun gambang’ as well as more intricate ‘bunga’ on the keromong and gambang. The term ends with a public recital on 12 November.

Students will have the chance to learn from the best – Teuku Umar Ilany (Saturday classes) and Mohamad Faliq Bin Che Adeni (Sunday classes) – both well-known performers and educators of the Malay gamelan.

Teuku Umar is one half of the power duo who co-founded Gangsapura Gamelan Group in 2016 with Nur Diyana Nadirah in hope of promoting Malaysian culture and our traditional arts.

The group was awarded the Best of 2019 Award at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.

The Malay Gamelan 101 workshops are open to those aged 15 and above. Course fee is RM450 for six weeks with a RM50 registration fee for new students. Those interested can register online here. Enquiries can be directed to [email protected] or WhatsApp +60 18 266 3383.

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Cover image supplied by The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.