World Music

The World Music Centre is a unique and innovative venture. Its aims are: (a) to encourage the study of music from different cultures - particularly non-western cultures; (b) to engender an interest and understanding of the artistic and socio-historical aspects of eastern music - particularly Balinese Gamelan, and (c) to engage with the University and local community through workshops and lectures. To this end, all students studying music at the University of Aberdeen have opportunities to learn about the music of a variety of different cultures.

In addition to a full Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar (one of only four in the United Kingdom), there are two sets of steel pans, and a samba batteria. The Gamelan Gong Kebyar, also referred to as gong, gong kebyar, or kebyar, is a Balinese orchestra consisting of tuned bronze gongs, gong-chimes, single octave and multiple octave metallophones, a pair of double-headed drums, bamboo flutes, and a bowed spike lute.

The Gamelan rehearses regularly throughout the year and puts on numerous concerts and workshops for schoolchildren, adults and other university music students.