Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) together with the Gayam 16 Community of Yogyakarta and the University of Poitiers, France, presented a hybrid performance of Javanese gamelan and traditional French music through the Nusantara Art Innovation Program (PISN) 2025, supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology.

The PISN program, launched via the BIMA platform, aims to encourage the development of local arts so that they have social and economic impact, while also strengthening the position of Indonesia’s traditional arts in global conversations. Within this program, UNY carries out an activity titled “Digitization of the Hybridization of Javanese Gamelan and Traditional French Music as an Adaptive Nusantara Traditional Music Innovation.”

Prof. Dr. Kun Setyaning Astuti, M.Pd., the activity leader, emphasized that this collaboration is designed as an equal space for cultural dialogue. She said they are not merely combining two types of music but bringing together two traditions from different cultural backgrounds to learn from each other. Javanese gamelan and traditional French music are positioned on equal footing, maintaining the character and identity of each.

The program team consists of UNY lecturers and students from various levels, supported by lecturers from UPI Tasikmalaya and academics from the University of Poitiers. They partnered with the Gayam 16 Community, a music community from Yogyakarta known for its active role in the development and performances of traditional music nationally and internationally.

The choice of Gayam 16 as a partner was based on their experience and professionalism. Starting from an arts network around Radio Geronimo Yogyakarta, Gayam 16 has grown into a community consistently working on traditional music in various collaborative formats.

The collaboration between UNY and the University of Poitiers has actually been ongoing since 2014. Their previous joint performances included a combination of traditional French music with angklung in 2019, and in 2024 they showcased a blend of Javanese gamelan, traditional French music, and keroncong. These experiences formed a strong foundation for the PISN 2025 program.

The main repertoire worked on in the program was a traditional French music piece called Avant Deux Du Pere Aux Louis Dor Et De Bregeon. That piece was then processed using a hybrid approach with the Yogyakarta-style gamelan using pelog tuning owned by the Gayam 16 Community.

Prof. Kun also explained that the work was carried out in stages so as not to remove the original character of the music. She noted that traditional music has established rules that deserve respect, and the challenge is how to introduce innovation without damaging existing structures and values.

According to Putri, Partnership Coordinator and Institutional Liaison at Gayam 16, the PISN 2025 program gave the community significant benefits. It provided a space for collaboration to develop traditional music in broader, equal contexts together with UNY and the University of Poitiers.

Putri also shared that this meeting of Javanese gamelan and traditional French music became a shared learning experience that enriched the community’s artistic perspectives. In addition to the creative process, support from the PISN program contributed directly to improving the quality of practice, production, and documentation of works.

“Not only does this program strengthen Gayam 16’s internal capacity, but it also expands networks and opens up future collaboration opportunities,” she said. Many respondents said that through PISN, Gayam 16 has become better known among art academics, students, and music practitioners, serving as an effective introduction through practice and direct artistic discussion.

This hybrid program aligns with the National Research Master Plan 2045 and the national cultural strengthening agenda. Through cross-national collaboration, Javanese gamelan is not only preserved as heritage but also introduced as an adaptive and relevant art form in a global context.