Gamelan Workshop with Clark Bryan

Come join us for an experience you won’t forget.  The Aeolian houses a Gamelan!

Learn the basics of playing in a Gamelan ensemble.  You don’t need any musical experience to play!  Any age is welcome. We’ll be improvising music together and it’s really easy to get started.

What’s a Gamelan?  A unique set of instruments played together by a group of about twenty or so people.   Ours was made by hand in Indonesia.  Gongs, Kenongs, Bonangs, Kethuks, Kempyangs, Demungs, Sarons, Slenthem are names of some of the instruments that form the Gamelan Orchestra.

The Gamelan is magical.  So many artists have played the Aeolian’s Gamelan and left transformed.  Names like Chick Corea have spent hours after concerts at The Aeolian in the Gamelan room, fascinated by the entrancing sounds.

About Clark Bryan

Clark Bryan is an award-winning concert pianist, composer, recording artist, educator and activist.  He has studied with some of the greatest pianists of our times.  With more than a dozen albums to his credit, Clark has also recorded over two thousand piano works since the Pandemic. As a teacher, Bryan has taught thousands of students, adjudicated more than 75 music festivals coast-to-coast in Canada, given dozens of workshops and written a book, “Gateways to Learning and Memory”. In 2004, he founded The Aeolian Performing Arts Centre and served as the Artistic and Executive Director until his decision to retire at the end of 2024. 

Bryan believes that everyone should have universal access to music, art, education, and culture. Because of this belief, he launched El Sistema Aeolian in 2011. This free, UNESCO award-winning program has offered more than a thousand children and youth an opportunity to experience the joy of a rich musical education. “Music is one of the most powerful tools we have for social change,” he says. In all his work with the arts and education work, Clark displays a progressive, social-justice mindset.

Other innovations have included Aeolian Pride Choruses, Rebelheart Collective, Aeolian Talks, A National Song Writing Competition, an artist in residence program and The Aeolian Jazz and Musical Arts Festival. 

Bryan was awarded Musical Personality of the Year (2005) and won a Jack Richardson Award for Community Contribution (2011).  In 2017, Mr. Bryan was given the Western Alumni Award of Merit and inducted into the Don Wright Faculty of Music Wall of Fame.  In 2018, Clark was recognized with a Queen Elizabeth Canada 150 Medal through the House of Commons for his contributions to community and the nation. In 2022 and 2025 Clark won Best Classical Instrumentalist at Forest City London Music Awards.  In 2023, Bryan was featured in a book about London by renowned author Richard Bain.  In 2023, Clark was awarded a Lifetime achievement award from the Forest City London Music Awards and inducted into the London Music Hall of Fame. In 2024, he was awarded The Mayor’s Honour List from The City of London. In 2025, Clark was awarded The King Charles III Medal for service to the nation.  In the same year he was awarded the “Laudible” award from PHSS. 

Bryan continues to extend his reach into the community. Whether speaking about the power and joy of music study in his TEDX talk or engaging in community activism, Clark is committed to building strong, culturally rich communities that celebrate the arts, culture and education.  He speaks regularly at events, is featured on radio, in newsprint and television.