On December 11, 2025, the first concert in the series “Sound Politics”, titled “Gamelan: Music and Dance of Java”. The event kicked off a series of artistic gatherings combining music with reflections on politics, culture, and the social dimension of sound.
The “Politics of Sound” series is organized jointly by the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw and the Faculty of Cultural and Art Studies at the University of Warsaw. Its goal is to present music in a social, political, and cultural context, demonstrating how sound can shape our perception of the world and our interpersonal relationships. As part of the series, which will run through June 2026, our department has planned a series of concerts and artistic gatherings that combine academic reflection with musical experience. Schedule of all events.
The first concert provided an opportunity to experience firsthand the musical tradition of Java, represented by Gamelan Kyai Kotowijoyo , which belongs to the University of Warsaw. The ensemble of instruments, consisting of gongs, metallophones, drums, and stringed instruments, among others, sounded as a single, indivisible whole, requiring close cooperation among the performers and exceptional auditory sensitivity.
The pieces were performed by participants in the workshops organized by the Institute of Musicology at the University of Warsaw and the Warsaw Gamelan Group —an ensemble formed by graduates, including those who studied gamelan in Indonesia. The music was accompanied by a performance of traditional Javanese dances by Diah Anggraini-Martin, which introduced the audience to the world of gesture, ritual, and symbolism inextricably linked to Javanese court culture.
The entire series is an example of excellent collaboration between the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw and the Faculty of Cultural and Art Studies at the University of Warsaw. Joint initiatives by both faculties create a space for dialogue between art and academic reflection, highlighting sound as an important tool for cultural and social communication. The series “Politics of Sound” invites you to future events, in which music serves as a starting point for in-depth reflection on the contemporary world. The next Christmas carol event will take place on January 22, 2026.