What Went Before

In 1975, the Dutch composer Ton de Leeuw had already written a composition for Javanese Gamelan entitled: Gending, a homage to the musicians of the Gamelan. Not until 1984, nine years later, was his composition given several times in concert in the context of the Ton de Leeuw festival which was organized by Jurrien Sligter in Amsterdam and Utrecht. For this special occassion he brought together a Gamelan orchestra consisting of western classically trained musicians, including percussionists and traditional Gamelan players.
This inspired various Dutch composers to write new works for Gamelan orchestra, among whom in the first instance were Will Eisma and Klaus Kuiper. Composition commissions for the Dutch composer Sinta Wullur and the in the Netherlands domiciled Australian composer Barbara Woof finally made it possible to establish in 1988 Ensemble Gending.
Since then more than thirty works have been written for the ensemble.

The repertoire:

Ton de Leeuw Gending (1975)
Will Eisma Suara-Suara (1985)
Barbara Woof Soundings (1988)
Sinta Wullur Ganántara (1988)
Per N?d Ghending (arr. 1989)
Klaus Kuiper Penyilangan (1988)
Paul Termos Khendang (1990)
Chiel Meijering Achterlangs(1989) for gam. and 5 brass players
Paul Termos As (1991)
James Tenney The Road to Ubud (1986)
John Cage Haikai for Si Pawit (1986)
Guus Janssen Winter (1991)
Will Eisma Mawar jiwa (1992) for gamelan and tape
Takayuki Rai Three Unknown Spaces (1993) for gamelan and tape
Armeno Alberts Haké (1993) 4 gamelan players and tape
Roderik de Man Dhawa-Cendak (1993) for gamelan and tape
Hanna Kulenty Lysanxia (1994)
André Douw Arjuna Vivaha (1996) for gam. and 4 singers
Jacob ter Veldhuis Animal Mass (1996) for gam. and 4 singers
Joep Franssens Sarum Chant (1997) for gam. and 4 singers
Klaus Kuiper Sonata da Camera (1997)
Roderik de Man Orkes Bercahaya (1997) for gamelan and light-projection
Jan-Rokus v. Roosendael Carillon (1997)
Sinta Wullur Kaleidoscoop (1997)
Allison Isadora Cramp (A Lullaby) (1997)
Hans v. Zijp Gongan (1998)
Jacob ter Veldhuis Cannibal Mess (1998)
Willem Breuker Soekarno-Suite (1999)
Philemon Mukarno Taric (2001) for gamelan and live-electronics
Paul Bruinen Angstzweet (2003) for gamelan and tape
Jorrit Tamminga Tijdsverspilling (2003) gamelan and live-electronics
Hans van Zijp Antara benua dan benua (2004) for gamelan
Roderik de Man Terus-terus tenang tenang (2004) gamelan and percussion
Caglayan Yildiz A Digital Praise to Hanuman (2004) ) gam.and live-electr.