Bali Villas | 
11 29th, 2007| 
The term gamelan refers not only to the instruments but also to the groups of musicians who play them. People participate in these groups from a very young age, and one is often surprised to hear intricate pieces being performed by children’s groups in which the average age is only 12 years. In the villages, such groups may be formed for special festivals only to be disbanded as soon as the festival is over. Most groups play together for a long time, however some for as long as 40 or 50 years with unchanged membership. Some groups even outlive their original membership and continue to exist as autonomous village institutions for hundreds of years.
Organizationally, music and dance troupes in Bali are deeply rooted in the banjar — the fundamental unit of community within the Balinese village or town. Its guiding principle and philosophy is that any group must strive to exist as a coherent unit rather than as a collection of individuals. In Balinese music, this attitude of cooperation is essential, and individual virtuosity is always far overshadowed by the ideal of unity and perfect synchronization of the various parts. Much more so than in Western music, a single part or musician cannot stand alone, but is integral to the whole. For this reason, solo performance is nonexistent in Bali.
