Gamelan Sari Raras Ben Brinner, co-director Midiyanto, co-director Javanese gamelan concert by Gamelan Sari Raras, featuring singer Heni Savitri Since their inception in 1976, the Department of Music’s Javanese gamelan classes have introduced over a thousand students to the musical traditions of Central Java and presented noon and evening concerts every semester in Hertz Hall. These classes are currently taught by Midiyanto, a Javanese musician and dhalang (shadow play performer). Other Javanese musicians who have taught at UC Berkeley include K.R.T. Wasitodipuro, Santosa, and Heri Purwanto. Past instructors have also included Jody Diamond, Daniel Schmidt, Joan Suyenaga, Marc Perlman, Andrew Weintraub, Lisa Gold, and Peter Garellick. The ensemble plays on an exquisite set of instruments named Gamelan Kyahi Udan Mas, donated to the Department of Music by Sam and Louise Scripps, who also donated an equally beautiful set of shadow puppets which are used in Sari Raras’s shadow play performances. Students in the beginning class learn to play many of the instruments in the gamelan. Intermediate and advanced students may learn the more difficult instruments. Concert repertoire consists of traditional and contemporary gamelan compositions.