Y3 Gamelan Orchestra Trip

During the visit the pupils had the opportunity not only to witness an awe-inspiring gamelan orchestra perform, but to play the actual instruments used by the orchestra.

The London Symphony Orchestra is based in St Luke’s Church, a stunning former Anglican Church building where musical legends such as Sir Elton John and Paul McCartney have performed. The church building is now a music centre that aims to encourage children to embrace different types of music.

Gamelan orchestras, which originate from Indonesia, are made up of mainly percussion instruments, bamboo flutes, gorges (which are rows of metal bars that are struck with mallets) and metallophones.

During the visit, pupils learnt about how gamelan orchestras embrace community and celebrate the importance of team work, embracing differences and allowing them to complement one another to create something both beautiful and original.

After watching the breathtaking gamelan orchestra perform, the pupils were then given the chance to play traditional gamelan instruments including the kempur, kemong and reyong.

One pupil described it as “very loud and exciting,” while another said “it was really fun learning about how gamelan orchestras promote community work.”

Preparatory School Music Coordinator, Mrs Karis White said: “The pupils were all smiles as they left St Luke’s on Old Street. On the way back to school they couldn’t stop talking about their day, from the striking gamelan orchestra to the expansive building they had explored throughout the day.”

“The trip was a remarkable experience for both teachers and pupils. Hopefully it inspired the Year 3 pupils and showed them that working as a team and embracing what makes us unique, rather than banishing what is unfamiliar is a wonderful thing that can ultimately lead to happiness and success.”