Gamelan nomade is a project focusing on musical creation and intercultural exchange centred on the Balinese gamelan: an Indonesian percussion ensemble consisting mainly of metallophones and gongs, which lies at the heart of the music of the islands of Bali and Java.

This ensemble, with its distinctive sound, has influenced many Western composers since the late 20th century, starting with Claude Debussy, who heard it played at the 1880 World’s Fair. Far from being confined to its native Indonesia, the practice of gamelan has spread throughout the world in recent decades.

This project marks another step forward by incorporating a gamelan and its ensemble of performers into the Ensemble Variances, thereby blending two distinct sonic identities through three new works for gamelan and instrumental ensemble. The instrument will be played by the Polyphème collective, which, in collaboration with the Ensemble Variances, will present a programme comprising new works, including commissioned pieces alongside pieces from the Balinese repertoire.

The strength and uniqueness of this project, hosted and co-produced by the Théâtre de Caen, lies in the fact that the gamelan lends itself to collective playing, enabling the use of simple musical modules that make it accessible to people of all abilities, from complete beginners to experienced musicians. Alongside the concerts, workshops will be held to give participants the chance to try their hand at playing the gamelan (in collaboration with the conservatoires of Caen and Lisieux), placing them at the heart of an enveloping and fascinating soundscape!