Report from the concert “Gamelan: Music and Dance of Java”

On December 11, 2025, the first concert in the “Polityki Dźwięku” (Sound Politics) series, entitled “Gamelan: Music and Dance of Java,” took place in the Prof. Jan Baszkiewicz Auditorium in the WNPISM Auditorium Building. The event opened a series of artistic meetings combining music with reflection on politics, culture, and the social dimension of sound.

The “Politics of Sound” series is organized jointly by the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw and the Faculty of Cultural and Artistic Studies at the University of Warsaw. Its aim is to present music in a social, political, and cultural context, showing how sound can shape our perception of the world and interpersonal relationships. As part of the series, which will last until June 2026, our faculty has planned a series of concerts and artistic meetings combining academic reflection with musical experience. The schedule of all events is provided below.

The first concert was an opportunity to experience the musical tradition of Java firsthand, represented by the Gamelan Kyai Kotowijoyo belonging to the University of Warsaw. The instruments, including gongs, metallophones, drums, and string instruments, sounded as one inseparable whole, requiring close cooperation between the performers and exceptional auditory sensitivity.

The pieces were performed by participants of workshops organized by the Institute of Musicology at the University of Warsaw and the Warsaw Gamelan Group, an ensemble formed by graduates, including individuals who studied gamelan in Indonesia. The music was accompanied by a performance of traditional Javanese dances by Diah Anggraini-Martin, which introduced the audience to the world of gestures, rituals, and symbolism inextricably linked to Javanese court culture.

The concert was another example of the fruitful cooperation between the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw and the Faculty of Cultural and Artistic Studies at the University of Warsaw. Joint initiatives by both faculties create a space for dialogue between art and academic reflection, presenting sound as an important tool for cultural and social communication. The “Politics of Sound” series invites you to further meetings in which music becomes a starting point for in-depth reflection on the contemporary world.