Music and Cultural Tourism in Bali

3 credits · Undergraduate

This Maymester course will introduce students to the traditional music and arts of Bali, such as gamelan, dance, and puppet theater, through an immersive musical and cultural experience. Students will learn through a combination of lectures by Professors Miranda and Fry and workshops led by local musicians and artists at the Mekar Bhuana Centre in Denpasar. Students will also have the opportunity to perform in a showcase at the end of the program. Excursions to a gamelan metalsmith and instrument maker, puppet museum, and temple ceremony will complement the hands-on workshops. Throughout the program, students will also learn the challenges presented by cultural tourism, especially for the local community, and what some Balinese organizers are doing to create a more equitable and sustainable tourist industry. [3]