The Faculty of Language and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, once again held its 117th edition of the Tuesday Legen Workshop. Themed “Gamelan Research Abroad,” this cultural forum featured a distinguished guest speaker, Prof. Sumarsam, Ph.D., Winslow-Kaplan Professor of Music from Wesleyan University, United States.
The event took place on Monday evening, July 7, 2025, at the UNNES Cultural Village in Sekaran, Gunungpati, Semarang, and was broadcast live on the UNNES TV YouTube channel. The event was hosted by Lesa Paranti, a lecturer at the UNNES Faculty of Language and Arts.
Prof. Sumarsam’s presence at UNNES was not merely as a guest speaker for the workshop, but also to strengthen international collaboration between FBS UNNES and Wesleyan University through visiting professorships and research collaborations in the fields of ethnomusicology and performing arts. This initiative is also part of UNNES’s internationalization strategy to promote globally-minded education and research.
In his presentation, Prof. Sumarsam shared in-depth reflections on the history of gamelan’s spread to the West and the development of his research in the discipline of ethnomusicology. He explained how gamelan is studied not only as a form of music (music in culture) but also as an integral part of the culture itself (music as culture). Furthermore, gamelan is also understood as a humanitarian activity that reflects the social, spiritual, and cultural values of its people.
“In understanding gamelan, we don’t just talk about the instruments or playing techniques, but also delve into the intrinsic and extrinsic spaces where the music grows and lives,” said Prof. Sumarsam.
On the same occasion, Prof. Sumarsam also symbolically presented his latest book to Semarang State University. “The In-Between in Javanese Performing Arts: History and Myth, Interculturalism, and Interreligiosity” is his latest work, which explores Javanese performing arts in depth within the framework of history, myth, interculturality, and religiosity.
The lively discussion also addressed the dynamics of gamelan research, gamelan curricula at foreign universities, and the challenges of preserving local culture in the international arena.
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FBS) at UNNES, Prof. Dr. Tommi Yuniawan, M.Hum., who was also in attendance, welcomed the forum.
“Activities like this strengthen UNNES’s position as a conservation campus. Through cross-cultural dialogues like the Tuesday Legen, we instill values and open up spaces for collaboration, especially with globally recognized experts,” he said.
Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Widodo, Chair of the Tuesday Legen Forum, stated that this theme reinforces UNNES’s direction in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education) through cross-cultural learning and curriculum internationalization, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the preservation of local arts and culture, and SDG 17 (Partnerships to Achieve the Goals) through collaboration with global institutions.
Dr. Widodo also stated that this year’s gamelan research theme is an important indicator that cultural preservation must go hand in hand with scientific research and international networking.
“We hope students will become increasingly aware that local culture also has a place in international studies,” he added.
This activity demonstrates UNNES’s commitment to upholding the spirit of globally oriented conservation, while simultaneously expanding academic space for Indonesian cultural heritage, such as gamelan, so that it remains alive and relevant across generations and nations.
