The thousands of islands in Indonesia have been home to its mainly Malayo-Polynesian ethnic groups and musical practices since prehistoric times. The broadly similar musical instruments, performance practices, and music-generating concepts throughout...

Gambang kromong refers to a type of ensemble, based in and around Jakarta, that combines Indonesian and Chinese instruments and styles. Its name derives from two of the instruments played: the gambang, a xylophone, and the kromong, a set of...

Indonesia is culturally diverse, and every one of the 18,000 islands has its own cultural and artistic history and character[1]. This results hundreds of different forms of music, which often accompanies dance and theater. The musics of Java, Sumatra,...

The musicology of Indonesia has been the subject of increasing study during the past few years. Given the size and diversity of Indonesia and the richness of Indonesia's musical tradition, however, the surface of Indonesian music has only been scratched. Particularly where music...

Irama hidupku membeludak begini, Bunda, tak tertampung dalam tembang nenek-moyang. (The rhythm of my life is bursting forth crazily, Mother; it can't be accommodated in the song-form of my ancestors.) --Minke, the young protagonist in the novel Bumi Manusia (This Earth of...