The Bate Collection is delighted to support and host a research visit for Alunan Dengung, an international project that explores the intersection of gamelan, electroacoustic music, and environmental soundscapes.
The Project:
What happens when the whispers of seagrass meet the bold resonance of Malay gamelan? Alunan Dengung takes inspiration from Rhythm in Bronze (RIB), Malaysia’s leading contemporary gamelan ensemble’s exciting new work, Seruan Setu devised by RIB artistic lead, Dr Jillian Ooi. Alunan Dengung unites RIB with UK artists, composer Adrian Lee (project lead), RIB founding artistic director, Sunetra Fernando, and leading percussionist / composer, Dr Simon Limbrick. Together, they blend field recordings of Malaysian seagrass ecosystems with electroacoustic gamelan. Through workshops and a public sharing, this project fuses art and environmental awareness, amplifying nature’s voice to inspire action and imagination.
This initiative brings together UK and Malaysian artists to experiment with the creative potential of gamelan instruments through the lens of contemporary composition, electroacoustic treatment and ecological awareness. Alunan Dengung is supported by the British Council Malaysia’s 2024 Connections Through Culture programme, which nurtures new artistic collaborations between the UK and the Asia-Pacific region with a particular focus on two areas: diversity and inclusion and addressing climate change.
The Role of the Bate Collection:
As part of the project’s development, composer Adrian Lee will undertake a full-day workshop at the Bate Collection.
The Bate Collection’s Central Javanese gamelan instruments bear comparison in terms of morphology and construction to the Malay gamelan used by Rhythm in Bronze and offer an ideal platform for preliminary experimentation. We are proud to support this research phase by facilitating access to our instruments and space, enabling cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary artistic exchange.
Learn More
For further details about Alunan Dengung, please visit the British Council Malaysia website: Connections Through Culture 2024 – British Council Malaysia
Project Team
UK Artists
Malaysian Ensemble
This project is supported by the British Council Malaysia’s 2024 Connections Through Culture programme.
