I Made Bandem classic and contemporary. With this organization, Bandem has managed to raise and popularize ethnomusicology as a major discipline in art universities in Indonesia. In 1986, Bandem initiated The First International Gamelan Festival; an evaluation on the advancement of gamelan in the global milieu that was conducted in conjunction with the 1986 Vancouver Expo in Canada. During the festival, more than 250 delegates participated and represented gamelan (traditional Indonesian music orchestra) and ethnic music groups from all over the world. The festival is evidence that Indonesian music especially its various sorts of gamelan are integral part of the world music setting.
Gamelan common in national arts conservatories founded in the middle of the 20th century. Gamelan's role in rituals is so important that there is a Javanese saying, "It is not official until the gong is hung". Some performances are associated with royalty, such as visits by the sultan of Yogyakarta. Certain gamelans are associated with specific rituals, such as the "Gamelan Sekaten", which is used in celebration of "Mawlid an-Nabi" (Muhammad's birthday). In Bali, almost all religious rituals include gamelan performance. Gamelan is also used in the ceremonies of the Catholic church in Indonesia. Certain pieces are designated for starting and