AN INDONESIAN percussion instrument, which was played in the royal courts in Java and Bali, was taken to a secondary school for students to learn how to play.

The Javanese Slendro Gamelan, which was hand-made for the Hampshire Music Service by Javanese craftsmen in 1998, is made up mainly of tuned percussion such as bronze gongs and metallophones.

It was taken to The Clere School where Year 7 and 10 GCSE music students had the chance to learn how to play it, as well as learn about Indonesian culture.

Under the guidance of Javanese Gamelan instructor Aris Daryono, students have learned to play a traditional Indo-nesian piece of music and the different techniques required for the different instruments. Students also made shadow puppets and scripted a play to accompany their musical performances.

At the end of the Gamelan’s five-day residency at The Clere, parents were invited to watch the students perform on the instrument, accompanied by the shadow puppet play.

Molly Maguire, a Year 7 student at The Clere, said: “The Gamelan is important because it shows how different people from around the world play instruments.”