Yogyakarta, July 16, 2025 – The Master’s Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, organisedorganized a dissemination forum entitled Gelar Jejak #1: Art and Technology. This forum served as a platform for students and alumni to share the results of their thesis research, as well as a reflective and dialogical space that bridges academic discourse with public engagement through the medium of art.
The forum featured two speakers: Akhmad Mu’izzanur Sastrabayu, S.Pd., M.A., and Erick Antonio Karo Sekali, S.Sn., M.A., who presented topics on the preservation of traditional musical instruments through technology and intergenerational education.
In his presentation, Akhmad Mu’izzanur discussed his research, entitled “Art and Technology: Preserving Traditional Musical Instruments and Reflecting on the Future.” He developed a digital instrument based on Virtual Studio Technology Instrument (VSTi) to document and preserve the sound of the panting, a traditional musical instrument. Through a process of recording and mapping playing techniques into the Native Instruments Kontakt software, this work offers an innovative solution for digital preservation of traditional music, making it accessible for contemporary learning.
Meanwhile, Erick Antonio Karo Sekali presented his research on the (Re)construction and Production of the Murbab Musical Instrument as an Educational Tool for the Younger Generation. This study reconstructed the physical form of the murbab, a bowed instrument from Karo culture that is now extinct. By combining ethnomusicological approaches with 3D modelling technology, the murbab was successfully recreated based on historical data and local cultural practices. Professional musicians also tested the reconstructed instrument for both acoustic and auditory quality.
This event not only showcased research outcomes but also encouraged public participation in cultural preservation through education and technology. Gelar Jejak #1 directly contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:
- SDG 4 – Quality Education, by providing inclusive access to culturally and technologically integrated learning; and
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, through the preservation of local cultural heritage as part of sustainable community development.
The forum was conducted online on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, and was attended by approximately 40 participants, including students, lecturers, researchers, art practitioners, and the general public. The participants’ enthusiasm demonstrated that art and technology remain vital spaces for fostering intergenerational dialogue within the framework of cultural preservation and innovation. (AHP)
