Gamelan Gambang: Educational Implications within a Community-Based Arts Education Framework I Ketut Lanus (Universitas Negeri Semarang/Indonesia/ nananglabnus@gmail.
Hartono (Universitas Negeri Semarang/Indonesia/ hartono_sukorejo@gmail.
Eko Raharjo (Universitas Negeri Semarang/Indonesia/ raharjoeko1965@gmail.
ABSTRACT
DOI: https://doi.
org/10.
20111/terob.
This article examines Gamelan Gambang as a medium for the *Correspondensi: Ketut Lanus 1 development of community-based arts education, with a particular focus on the preservation of BaliAos local cultural 1Email: nananglabnus@gmail.
Gamelan Gambang is a sacred gamelan ensemble 2 Email :
traditionally performed in Balinese religious ceremonies, especially within the context of mortuary rites.
Beyond its musical Received:23-06-2025 and ritual functions, the ensemble embodies philosophical.
Accepted:07-04-2026 spiritual, and social values that are highly relevant for Published:15-04-2026 transformation into contextualized arts education practices.
Through a community-based arts education approach.
Gamelan Gambang may serve not only as an instrument for aesthetic learning but also as a vehicle for strengthening cultural identity and transmitting local wisdom.
This article elaborates the Terob Journal is licensed under a Creative theoretical framework of community-based arts education.
International Commons License Attribution-ShareAlike 0 outlines strategies for implementing tradition-oriented learning, and discusses both the challenges and opportunities involved in Copyright: A 2026 by the authors.
revitalizing Gamelan Gambang as an educational medium.
The study recommends an integrative collaboration between formal educational institutions and local communities in developing participatory arts learning models that are rooted in local values while remaining adaptive to contemporary social transformations.
Keywords: Gamelan Gambang.
arts education.
community-based learning.
cultural identity.
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heritage (Daeng, 2.
One alternative INTRODUCTION Arts education plays a strategic solution lies in community-based arts role in shaping character, identity, and educationAian instructional model that cultural awareness within society.
positions local culture as the primary source of learning materials and experiences.
Indonesian contextAirich Gamelan Gambang represents one functions not merely as a medium for form of Balinese traditional art that may aesthetic expression but also as an serve as a foundation for a community- instrument for preserving local cultural based arts education approach.
This values (Supatmo, 2.
Its scope ensemble is recognized as a sacred gamelan extends beyond the cultivation of performed in various customary and sensitivity and technical religious ceremonies, particularly within artistic skills (Rohidi, 2.
Within the context of mortuary rituals .
itra IndonesiaAos yadny.
(Bandem, 2.
The distinctive sound of its wooden gambang instruments, its unique musical structure, and its rich artsAiarts preservation of local identity, character formation, and the transmission of Gambang as an item of intangible cultural living cultural values embedded in heritage with significant educational value community life (Suherman & Irawan, (Senen & Samhuri, 2.
Accordingly, the development meanings position Gamelan The existence of Gamelan Gambang should remain cannot be separated from the social and grounded in local cultural roots, as art spiritual functions of Balinese society.
reflects the social, spiritual, and ritual contexts, the ensemble does not historical dynamics of a society.
merely accompany ceremonial processions arts education In the development of educational but is also believed to function as a medium practices in Indonesia, centralized and of communication with the spiritual realm.
academically oriented approaches have Values such as harmony with nature, often overlooked the local cultural reverence for ancestors, and balance potential surrounding learners.
This between the sekala .
and niskala tendency has led to a growing .
worlds are embedded in its For this reason.
Gamelan generations and their own cultural Gambang constitutes more than an artistic TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 it forms part of a broader empowerment and cultural consciousness.
system of local knowledge (Santosa.
Within the context of formal education, integrating Gamelan Gambang into arts Regrettably, the current position of curricula at the primary and secondary Gamelan Gambang within Balinese levels may serve as an effective strategy for society is increasingly precarious.
Limited Collaboration insufficient documentation, and the institutions and customary communities pervasive influence of popular culture can create dynamic learning spaces in have contributed to its marginalization which local knowledge is accorded equal (Suharta, 2.
Younger generations status with academic knowledge.
Such tend to be more familiar with modern efforts are also consistent with the Merdeka music than with their own cultural Belajar policy, which provides flexibility This disparity raises critical for exploring local contexts in educational questions regarding how education can respond to such conditions and re- Moreover, this approach may open establish the relevance of Gamelan avenues for intergenerational dialogue.
Gambang for contemporary society.
Community-based arts education practitioners, and younger generations to offers a constructive approach to addressing these challenges.
Through Activities such as workshops, festivals, and the active involvement of community gamelan documentation programs may membersAiparticularly strengthen social cohesion within the artistsAithe In the long term, arts education grounded in Gamelan Gambang has the potential to enhance cultural resilience meaningful (Sugiarto & Rohidi, 2.
Students engage not only with artistic reinforce the cultural identity of younger techniques but also with the cultural values embedded within the art form.
This Scholarly Gamelan Gambang as part of Balinese cultural principles of critical and transformative heritage have been widely conducted in the TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 He argues that participatory Researchers such as I Made and community-based approaches in arts Bandem .
have examined the musical system of Balinese gamelan, connections with their social environment.
including its structural, tonal .
However, his focus is largely directed and social dimensions.
In relation to toward dance and locally popular music.
Gamelan Gambang.
Bandem classifies without specifically examining Gamelan this ensemble within the category of Gambang as a case study.
Another study by gamelan kekunaan .
ncient gamela.
Aryasa Gamelan Gambang in Karangasem.
Bali, found a significant decline in generational veneration ceremonies .
itra yadny.
transmission due to lifestyle changes and Similarly.
I Wayan Dibia .
, in his limited attention from formal educational study of sacred gamelan in Bali, notes institutions toward sacred arts.
Aryasa the exclusive nature of Gamelan Gambang due to its sacred status and its through community-based art studios and restricted ceremonial usage.
Dibia primary focus of this study remained on safeguarding sacred gamelan traditions cultural preservation within the community through documentation and active education systems.
Nevertheless.
Gamelan Gambang studentsAo However.
From the foregoing review, it may be concluded that although several studies have examined Gamelan Gambang and its preservation, scholarly inquiry explicitly addressing its implications for community- based arts education remains limited.
Previous research has tended to concentrate In the domain of arts education, .
community-based perspective.
Sukarma importance of culturally grounded education in strengthening national pedagogical approach grounded in local identity and fostering student character cultural values.
Therefore, this article seeks TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 to critically examine how Gamelan traditional musical ensembles that is both Gambang may function as a medium rare and sacred in character.
In comparison for community-based arts education to other types of Balinese gamelan, such as that not only safeguards traditional art Gong Kebyar and Semar Pegulingan, it (Mariyana, education in contemporary Balinese Its primary instruments consist of It is expected that this study hardwood keys arranged over bamboo will contribute to the development of resonators, played with two wooden mallets arts education models that are relevant, without rubber padding, producing a bright inclusive, and firmly rooted in local arrangement and tuning system differ from METHOD This study employs a qualitative research method, selected on the basis of its procedural suitability to the Balinese Its reflecting a more ancient historical lineage (Yudarta, 2.
As an element of intangible cultural objectives and analytical needs of the The research is conducted significance not only musically but also in as an effort to initiate the creative terms of the cultural and spiritual values it development and revitalization of It is frequently performed in Gamelan pitra yadnya ceremonies .
ortuary rites implementation situated within the and ancestral veneration ritual.
, situating it framework of arts education.
Through within the spiritual life cycle of Balinese this approach, the sustainability of Its sacred usage underscores that.
Gamelan Gambang is expected to within Balinese culture, music functions generate a constructive impact on not merely as entertainment but also as a contemporary artistic practice and medium of communication with the niskala educational implementation.
Gambang.
RESULT and DISCUSSION Gamelan Gambang as Cultural Heritage and an Educational Medium Gamelan Gambang is one of BaliAos Gamelan Gambang The values manifested in the practice of Gamelan Gambang include reverence for ancestors, harmony between humanity and the cosmos, and a profound understanding of life and death.
In this respect, the TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 ensemble may be understood as an Within contemporary arts education, integrated with the social, religious.
Gamelan Gambang may serve as a rich, value-laden instructional resource rooted in Balinese life.
Thus, it is not simply an artistic artifact but also an educational designed curricula, students can engage medium through which noble values with the ensemble not merely to master are transmitted across generations.
Traditionally, the learning process Through comprehend the cultural meanings it of Gamelan Gambang does not occur in formal classroom settings but rather studentsAo understanding of art as an integral component of collective identity and experiential practice (Mariyana, 2.
Such Instruction typically takes place within The integration of Gamelan Gambang ritual contexts or community rehearsals into arts education curricula also enables interdisciplinary approaches.
Students may Performers acquire skills by observing, explore its musical aspects in cultural arts imitating, and directly experiencing the classes, its philosophical and spiritual This dimensions in religious and civic education, system fosters a holistic educational and its historical development in local history courses.
This interconnectedness enhances curricular relevance and fosters However, a principal cross-disciplinary integration.
Furthermore, the ensemble can function as a medium for transmission model lies in generational Many young people are Values Gamelan Gambang, perceiving it as collective rehearsal.
Performing gamelan archaic, complex, or irrelevant to requires harmony among players, attentive modern lifestyles.
This reluctance listening, and sensitivity to collective poses a genuine threat not only to rhythmAiall of which align with the musical techniques but also to the broader objectives of national character cultural values embedded within the TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 From a pedagogical perspective, twenty-first-century an experiential learning approach is cultural literacy, critical thinking, and particularly well suited to instruction involving Gamelan Gambang (Fuadi et In the digital era.
Gamelan Gambang , 2.
Students learn through direct may also be developed as media-based engagement in authentic contexts:
educational content.
Documentary videos, listening to the ensemble, observing online tutorials, and interactive learning applications can introduce the ensemble to participating in cultural processions.
broader audiences, particularly technology- Such experiences foster deep and oriented younger generations.
Through meaningful learning.
such strategies, what was once culturally The incorporation of Gamelan exclusive may become more inclusive Gambang into education also has the potential to strengthen relationships initiatives based on Gamelan Gambang Educational institutions must be implemented with caution to avoid Nevertheless, customary villages, art studios, or The sacred dimensions banjar that continue to preserve the and cultural context must remain respected.
Consequently.
These customary leaders and cultural stakeholders is essential in designing educational socio-cultural programs grounded in this tradition.
Programs such as traditional Finally.
Gamelan Gambang inspire the creation of new artistic works school-based cultural festivals, and field visits to rehearsal sites represent In this sense, art is not only preserved but also creatively developed.
education with cultural preservation Such an approach aligns with a vision of (Pratama, 2.
Moreover, involving arts education that fosters both liberation students in documentation projects and and innovation.
Accordingly.
Gamelan small-scale research initiatives related Gambang functions not merely as cultural to Gamelan Gambang can cultivate heritage worthy of preservation but also as TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 an effective educational medium for historical, and religious values embedded in generating meaningful arts learning.
its practice.
Such an approach promotes Within holistic and meaningful learning.
community-based education framework, it symbolizes the An initial step in implementation may involve curricular integration at the school education, and communal life in Bali.
level, particularly within arts and crafts Teachers can collaborate with Implementation Based Arts Community- Education Gamelan Gambang community leaders or senior gamelan Gamelan Gambang through workshops, instrument Community-based arts education positions the community as the central Through communicative and locus for the production, distribution, and transmission of cultural values.
encouraged to experience art directly rather than merely studying it through textbook- Balinese traditions, this approach is not novel, as based theory.
the process of learning the arts has One of the principal strengths of a historically taken place organically community-based approach lies in the within customary communities (Suarta, active involvement of students within real- Gamelan Gambang, as a sacred life contexts.
Students learn not only at performing art, offers considerable school but also in balai banjar, temples, or potential to be implemented as a during customary ceremonies.
In this participatory and contextual model of model, the learning space extends beyond arts education.
the classroom into the socio-cultural The environment in which the art form lives and education through Gamelan Gambang This reflects a strong experiential begins with an understanding of its learning paradigm.
function and meaning within the social The implementation also emphasizes and spiritual life of the community.
Education, therefore, should not be community elders or customary leaders.
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Through within customary ceremonies.
acquire not only technical skills but Community-based also noble values such as reverence for ancestors, mutual cooperation .
otong After royon.
, social responsibility, and The process thus becomes Gambang, students may be encouraged to an authentic and contextual means of experiment with compositional variations, character formation.
explore musical elements, or integrate At a practical level, art studios or Gamelan traditional gamelan ensembles may interdisciplinary art projects.
This approach serve as school partners in organizing reinforces the understanding that tradition regular training programs.
Activities is not static but can be revitalized such as afternoon classes, weekly Arts Gamelan performances between schools and Gambang may also be formulated as banjar communities can strengthen collaborative inter-school projects, such as studentsAo emotional connection to their inter-banjar cultural festivals or joint cultural heritage.
In this way.
Gamelan performances combining gamelan and Gambang Such initiatives cultivate not only between formal education and local artistic competence but also collective solidarity and shared local identity.
Moreover, this model supports the Ideally, implementation should receive curricula .
uatan loka.
that are more relevant and adaptive.
Schools in Bali Assistance in the form of gamelan may design specialized syllabi focusing instruments, teacher training programs, and on local arts, including Gamelan funding for extracurricular activities is Gambang, ensuring that education essential to ensure program sustainability.
respects cultural diversity rather than With adequate institutional support, arts Such curricula may encompass gamelan broader policies of sustainable cultural theory, performance practice, historical background, and symbolic meanings Gamelan TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 Gambang may also be taught through Video modules, interactive tutorials, and documented performances can be accessed via digital devices (Wulandari & Iriani.
This strategy is particularly relevant in addressing spatial and temporal constraints and in reaching students who lack direct access to gamelan communities.
A transformative approach to arts education positions students as agents of cultural change.
After engaging directly with the values embodied in Gamelan Gambang, students may serve performances, writing, or social media.
In doing so, education functions not only as a means of preservation but also as a vehicle for social transformation.
Nevertheless, implementation must be conducted with cultural sensitivity.
Given the Gamelan Gambang, educational processes must uphold ethical standards and respect customary values.
Education should not reduce the ensemble to a mere commodity or form of entertainment.
rather, it must honor it as a spiritual heritage imbued with taksu .
acred Figure 1.
The Form of Gamelan Gambang Performance in Desa Munggu.
Badung.
Bali (Source: Documentation by Ketut Lanus, 2.
The success of implementing arts education grounded in Gamelan Gambang is also determined by the collective awareness of all stakeholders, including teachers, students, parents, and customary When collaborate and share a sense of ownership over this cultural heritage, education can Expanding public understanding of the role of the arts in everyday life constitutes a crucial starting point for cultivating an inclusive educational ecosystem rooted in local culture.
In this regard.
Gamelan Gambang should not be perceived merely as a symbol of the past, but as an instrument of transformation for the present and the Through community-based arts education, this traditional art form is capable of responding to the challenges of globalization without losing its local Education, therefore, does not TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 themselves presents a significant barrier.
it also nurtures sensibility.
Not all schools or art studios possess a taksu .
piritual charism.
, and wisdom in life.
The high costs of production Gamelan Gambang and maintenance, combined with the Challenges and Opportunities The ensembleAos ritual exclusivity, limit its broad community-based accessibility within educational settings.
Fourth, challenges arise from the through Gamelan Gambang faces national education system, which remains curricula and academic examinations.
Space for traditional artsAiparticularly interest of younger generations in highly contextual forms such as Gamelan GambangAiremains limited.
Arts teachers perceived as sacred and archaic.
Unlike may lack sufficient time and institutional the vibrant and dynamic character of Gong Kebyar.
Gamelan Gambang may grounded programs.
The Fifth, in-depth, accustomed to fast-paced rhythms and technology have shifted studentsAo attention contemporary musical aesthetics.
from local traditions to global popular Second, there is a limited number Digital music, social media, and of teachers or instructors who possess instant entertainment generate cultural comprehensive mastery of both the technical and philosophical dimensions Gamelan Gambang.
Creative educational of Gamelan Gambang.
Due to its rarity and sacred status, few individuals are maintain the relevance of traditional arts for digital-native generations.
Sixth, not all customary communities Dependence on a small are equally prepared to engage in open number of senior cultural figures poses collaboration with schools or formal Third, access to the instruments Certain communities uphold strict sacred values that limit access for non-ritual educational TEROB VOLUME 16 NOMOR 2 APRIL 2025 This creates complexities in designing arts education programs that respectful of cultural boundaries.
Digital technologyAionce regarded primarily as a threatAican also become a Through Seventh, digitalization, performances of Gamelan Gambang may be documented in video, present challenges.
Gamelan Gambang audio, and interactive media formats is predominantly transmitted orally and through direct practice.
The scarcity of development of online learning platforms integrating visual and narrative elements instructional modules makes learning can address physical and geographical highly dependent on memory and empirical experience.
Despite The Another promising avenue lies in integrating Gamelan Gambang into locally designed curricula .
uatan loka.
developing transformative community- Balinese schools, arts education can be based arts education.
One major directed toward authentic local cultural strength lies in the vitality of Balinese Supported by creative educators and Social adaptive curricula, the ensemble can structures such as banjar and desa adat function as a powerful learning resource for maintain cohesive systems that can character formation, creativity, and cultural serve as contextual learning bases for traditional arts.
Youth Opportunities also emerge from Gamelan growing awareness of the importance Gambang of preserving local culture among Young people may create government institutions, academics, documentary films, educational social and the broader public.
Cultural media content, or musical explorations that revitalization programs, arts festivals, remain respectful of its original values.
and funding initiatives from cultural Such participation expands their role from agencies create new avenues for performers to cultural interpreters and reactivating Gamelan Gambang within Cross-sector
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further potential.
Partnerships among plays a strategic role in sustaining local values, strengthening cultural identity, and serving as a universities, and cultural institutions vehicle for character formation among younger can strengthen a community-based arts generations in Bali, particularly within the education ecosystem.
Each stakeholder contributes distinct roles: schools as educational facilitators, communities as cultural custodians, and higher Banjar Gambang community in Munggu.
Badung.
Within the educational context, the implementation of Gamelan Gambang as a pedagogical instrument demonstrates various education institutions as developers of participatory approaches integrating students, methodology and documentation.
teachers, and community leaders.
Schools that Ultimately.
Gamelan Gambang establish synergy with customary communities holds the potential to symbolize the show positive outcomes in fostering studentsAo integration of education, spirituality, appreciation of traditional arts.
Learning and culture.
In a world increasingly environment and customary rituals render with traditional arts can serve as a pathway to character formation and inner development.
By re-grounding educational experiences more meaningful, contextual, and grounded in lived cultural The principal findings indicate that Gamelan Gambang continues to be preserved local values within educational spaces, through customary ritual practices, despite society not only preserves cultural facing challenges related to generational heritage but also cultivates a generation succession among performers and limited that is culturally rooted and ethically communities and arts groups persist in CONCLUSION This study reveals that Gamelan Gambang is not merely a cultural heritage endowed with aesthetic and spiritual Nevertheless, ensembleAos through informal and communal modes of transmission, such as direct training sessions in the balai banjar and active participation in religious ceremonies.
values, but also possesses significant potential as a medium for communitybased arts education.
Through observation, interviews, and literature review, the research finds that Gamelan Gambang
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References