Student ensembles will share the stage to feature the music of Java, Thailand and Bali.
The Music of Java Ensemble centers on the music of Central Javanese gamelan, a percussion-dominated musical ensemble featuring tuned bronze gongs, bronze metallophones, and drums, along with flutes, zither, vocals, and spiked fiddle. The ensemble is known for rhythmic complexity and a unique feel as well as a lush and dynamic melodic range.
Students in the Music of Thailand Ensemble will perform the distinctive regional music traditions from central, north (Lanna), and northeast (Isaan) Thailand on a diverse range of instruments including mallet percussion, bowed, plucked string instruments, and flutes. Students will be introduced to Thai musical notation, basic rhythmic cycles, singing techniques in the Thai language, and basic dance movements.
The Music of Bali Ensemble features gamelan (the generic Indonesian word for orchestra) music and dance. The Balinese gamelan gong kebyar is famous for its fast tempos, abrupt changes of texture, and brilliantly costumed dancers who act out stories from the Ramayana.
The 66th Annual Spring Festival of World Music
Continuing a tradition begun in 1960, the Department of Ethnomusicology draws on its incredible collection of world musical instruments to present its annual Spring Festival of World Music. It's an opportunity for student ensembles to perform and share traditional musics from around the world as they master their instruments. The 2025 festival concert dates run from May 4 to June 7. The festival is free and open to the public. All concerts are in Schoenberg Hall and Lani Hall. We look forward to welcoming you to The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music for our storied Spring Festival of World Music. Click Here to Learn More about the Festival