Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Directorate General of Culture of Ministry of Education and Culture will hold the International Gamelan Festival (IGF) in Solo City in Central Java Province and other cities from Aug 9 to 16, 2018.

"IGF is intended as a moment for experts who have studied gamelan and people who have interest in studying gamelan, to gather and perform when they come back home," Director General of Culture of the ministry, Hilmar Farid, stated in a written statement on Thursday.

The event is also intended to provide an arena for experts, thinkers, gamelan enthusiasts, and artists to gather in the city and keep in touch with each other.

The event will be held in some iconic places in Solo City, including in Fort Vastenburg, ISI Solo, City Walk of Slamet Riyadi, a cultural center of Dalem Joyokusuman, and Lokananta.

A number of maestros will participate in the event, including Djaduk Ferianto, Joko Porong, and Rahayu Supanggah.

IGF will show a series of activities, with philosophical values, and will be attended by gamelan diaspora from various regions and disciplines.

The event will present gamelan novelty show, discussion, and gamelan palace performances, which involve artists from Solo, Cirebon, Kalimantan, Sumenep, and Malaysia.

The festival will also be followed by gamelan groups from several countries such as Japan, Malaysia, United States, and Australia.

He stated that Solo City is one of the cultural orientations not only for Indonesia but also for the world.

Solo City is the birthplace of art maestros. Hence, people from various regions and countries could learn arts in the city.

Gamelan is one of the most ancient types of music that is still alive and widely influential in Indonesia.

Reported by Anom Prihantoro
(M052/INE)
(T.M052/A/KR-BSR/S012)

Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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