Gamelan Sekar Jaya Gamelan Sekar Jaya Gamelan Sekar Jaya is a Balinese gamelan ensemble located in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been called "the finest Balinese gamelan ensemble outside of Indonesia" by Indonesia’s Tempo Magazine. It performs the music and dance of Bali in many different genres of Balinese gamelan, mainly gamelan gong kebyar, gamelan angklung, gender wayang, and gamelan jegog. Past performances have also featured ensembles playing in other styles as well, including gamelan joged bumbung, kecak, gender batel, gamelan gambuh, genggong, and beleganjur. GSJ has also performed contemporary pieces featuring instruments from the Western tradition. Founded in 1979 by
Gamelan Sekaten are "Kyai Guntur Madu" and "Kyai Guntur Sari". According to Benjamin Brinner, the "gamelan sekaten", exists in halves: divided between the two rival courts in Surakarta and Yogyakorta, each court had a matching second half made. The pitches of the "Sekaten" ensemble is in "pelog", but lower than standard ensembles today. According to Benjamin Brinner it is the lowest pitched, largest, and loudest ensemble in Java. In recent times the gamelan at ISI Surakarta commissioned a special "Sekaten" set that would be compatible with their other gamelan, to be used in new experimental compositions. Historically, the "Sekaten" ensemble is notable