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DENPASAR, BALIPOST.com – There is no doubting the appreciation of contemporary Balinese music on the international scene. The proof is that many foreigners are interested in learning Balinese music, including gamelan. So said a music professor at the University of Montreal, Canada, I Putu Arya Deva Suryanegara.

Speaking at a Timbang Rasa (Sarasehan) themed “International Achievements in Contemporary Balinese Music” (Opportunities, Challenges and Audience Appreciation) on Friday (7/21), Arya explained her experience as a music teacher in Canada. “When I have to teach friends or musicians over there (in Canada) who don’t know what gamelan is, sometimes they ask me things that I hadn’t thought of before. For example, what tool is it, what is its function, then explain how our cultural concepts are in Bali, because gamelan and culture are very closely linked,” he said.

Arya hopes to share her knowledge between Bali and Canada. “My hope is to make many friends who love music, play music, discuss music, how can I share what I know with friends and receive knowledge from Balinese friends in the future. Of course, I want to be deeper in Bali in the future to share what I have achieved in Canada,” he explained.

Arya said that when it comes to contemporary music, there is nothing wrong with combining gamelan with electronics. “So in the current era, I see a lot of potential in how technology can be used as a tool that allows us to better understand gamelan. But it does not replace the previous one,” he said. (Saint/balipost)