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A gamelan is an Indonesian musical ensemble, each of distinct style, and featuring a variety of instruments built and tuned to stay together as a complete entity instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable.

Popularity
Gamelan is often an important part of cultral rituals and ceremonies. Gamelan is often accompanied by dance or wayang(shadow) puppet performances. Gamelan is not normally performed at Western style concerts, as these are not considered traditional.

Location
An Indonesian activity, typically from the islands of Bali and Java. There is now a wide variety of gamelan ensembles located throughout the Western world. These include both traditional and experimental ensembles.

Age
Age is no restriction and of minor importance. Men and women usually perform in separate groups, with the exception of the pesindhen, the female singer who performs with male groups.

Ability
Gamelan ensembles are distinguished by their collection of instruments and use of voice, tunings, repertoire, style, and cultural context. In general, no two gamelan ensembles are the same, each having its own unique identity.

Description
Gamelan is the main element of Indonesian traditional music. Each gamelan is slightly different from all others, however, they all have the same organization, which are based on different instrumental groups with specific orchestral functions. The instruments in a gamelan are composed of sets of tuned bronze gongs, gong-chimes, metallophones, drums, one or more flutes, also bowed and plucked string instruments, and sometimes singers. Each, as has already been stated is unique.

Dedication
In some village gamelan, bronze is sometimes replaced by iron, wood, or bamboo.

Potential
Gamelan has influanced much classical and popular music, of the western world.

Closely Related Activities
Puppets 477,

Level of Demand
The table below shows the maximum levels of demand that this activity requires. NOTE: These are not entry levels or levels of requirement and has nothing to do with ability.

Energy

Arms

Legs

Sight

Hearing

Speech

Learning

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