On 14 August 2025 at 2 pm, the welcoming session, titled “Beyond the Gate”, for postgraduate students in Performing Art and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) took place at the Ullen Sentalu Museum, accompanied by the Mountain Piano Concerto. The inaugural event brought together Ullen Sentalu and PSPSR students from Gadjah Mada University. This concert featured Henk Mak van Dijk (Pianist), Asriuni Pradipta (Soprano), who is also a master’s programme student at PSPSR and Eko Balung (Violist). The students and other visitors in attendance enjoyed the concert. They expressed that the performance was awe-inspiring, particularly due to its location in an open and tranquil area of Ullen Sentalu. The MoU signing ceremony between PSPSR and Ullen Sentalu Museum was conducted following the performance session. The previously held musical performance was also a part of this collaboration. It is hoped that there will be increased collaboration between PSPSR and industry in the future, which will allow students to acquire new knowledge and experience. This initiative supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). (Hajar Aznam)
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Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Graduate School hosted “Beyond the Gate” on August 14, 2025, as an opening event to welcome both new and returning students to the programmes in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR). The session began with a presentation from Dr Paramitha Dyah Fitriasari, M.Hum., related to the master’s programme at PSPSR, followed by a presentation from Dr Budi Irawanto, S.I.P., M.A., as the head of the doctoral programme. Both describe the academic pathway and study plan, as well as the programme’s vision and mission. Dr G.R. Lono Lastoro Simatupang, M.A., also addressed the students with his welcome remarks, saying, “You (students) are not just users of theory but also makers of theory.” His words inspired the students who attended the session. This programme concluded with an individual introduction session for each fellow student, followed by a photography session and lunch together. On their first day on campus, the students who participated in the Beyond The Gate session were overjoyed by the warm reception they received. This activity supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). (Hajar Aznam) read more

On Thursday, July 24, 2025, doctoral students of the PSPSR UGM initiated a sharing session forum. The session was led by Dr. Trisna Pradita, S.Sos., M.M., an alumnus of the PSPSR doctoral program who had just officially graduated at the commencement ceremony held the day before.

The main topic of this session was an introduction to NVivo. NVivo is a qualitative data analysis software that helps researchers organize, analyze, and gain insights from unstructured data, such as interviews, open-ended survey responses, field notes, academic articles, and social media content. It can be used to code data, identify themes and patterns, and visualize findings. read more

On July 16, 2025, Forum Rabu Wagen: A Sharing Knowledge Session was held at the Collaborative Space, Graduate School, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This session was initiated by Dr Budi Irawanto, the head of the doctoral program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR). It was named Rabu Wagen to mark the 35-day cycles of days in the Javanese calendar. It is a monthly gathering for PhD candidates from PSPSR to come together and discuss their most recent progress. Dr Budi himself chaired this session, emphasising the solitary nature of the PhD journey. Overcoming such barriers could be achieved by holding a forum like this as a platform for togetherness, allowing for direct discussions. In this forum session, three shared knowledge topics were presented, starting with Mendeley Cite, presented by Mr. Hendra. Then, a sharing session by Mr Ando related to Mendeley Desktop, and finally, a sharing session on research topics by Mr Stario, titled “Proses Kreasi dan Representasi Budaya dalam Karya-karya Bio-Art Kelompok House of Natural Fibre (HoNF) dan Syaiful Aulia Garibaldi.” Eighteen S3 PSPSR UGM students attended this two-hour session. Feedback from the students who attended today was very constructive, and they seemed more enthusiastic to share their experiences and knowledge. The next Rabu Wagen Forum is scheduled to take place on August 20, 2025, featuring two speakers from S3 PSPSR UGM. read more

During the three-day dissertation boot camp session at Puri Asri Resort, Magelang, held from June 27 to 29, 2025, the program team conducted a monitoring session to assess the study progress of PhD students in the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Study Program. Each student is given a specific space and time to discuss their studies with promoters and co-promoters. There was also a sharing session where each student was asked to share their current stage of study. This session was practical because friends from the same study program could also observe the process. read more

From June 27th to 29th, the Dissertation Boot Camp event took place at Puri Asri Resort, Magelang. The event commenced with a welcoming speech and an introduction to the Dissertation Boot Camp program by Dr. Budi Irawanto, Head of the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Doctoral Study Program (PSPSR) at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada. A total of 21 PSPSR students have participated in this program. One of the purposes of this activity is to provide a clearer picture of the roadmap for S3 PSPSR students, in addition to being a space to expedite the dissertation completion process and enhance students’ knowledge and skills in writing dissertations. A forum session was also implemented to share experiences among S3 PSPSR students during the dissertation writing process, aiming to increase students’ motivation and self-confidence in writing dissertations. read more

On June 27th, the first day of the boot camp, a presentation session was held by the Academic Administration Unit of the Graduate School, Universitas Gadjah Mada, for the students. The presenter for this session was Ms. Winahyuning Cahyani from the Academic Administration Department. The event began with an explanation of the Doctoral Program schedule and study plan. After the pandemic, there would be no more open exams (ujian tertutup), and students would proceed directly to graduation. She also explained the stages of the S3 study plan and outlined the actions to be taken in each stage. Next, Ms. Winahyuning explained the details of the Comprehensive Exam, and students were advised not to delay in registering for it. read more

On Monday, June 2, 2025, the Doctoral Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Graduate School UGM organized a discussion held in Room 407 of the Graduate School building. This activity was part of a broader initiative to strengthen the academic atmosphere by promoting cross-cultural interaction and fostering international collaboration. The event featured Dr. Christopher J. Miller, a scholar and musician from Cornell University, United States, as the speaker. His interests and activities revolve around two points of focus: experimental music, and the music of Indonesia, especially Central Javanese gamelan. His presence brought an important international dimension to the development of scholarly discourse in the field of arts, particularly in music. read more

Syawalan Seni was a celebration of two milestones: the 34th anniversary of the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies program at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, and the 36 years of dedication by the beloved lecturer, G. R. Lono Lastoro Simatupang. Held over two days—8 and 9 May 2025—at GIK UGM, the event carried the theme “Performing Enchantment”, bringing together a diverse lineup of performers including Samba Sunda, the PSPSR Orchestra, and OM Jarang Pulang.

OM Jarang Pulang (OMJP) is a dangdut band formed by alumni and students of the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies program. The current ensemble features Michael H. B. Raditya (percussion), Ribeth Nurvijayanto (keys), Agus Umbu (keys), Hata Nugraha (bass), Thalita Nur Fadillah (drums), Anbie Haldini (tambourine), Yuki Raudhul Rizky (guitar), and vocalists Selin Rimesu and Ratna Wulan Sari. Since its formation in 2018, OMJP has become known for its vibrant mix of dangdut, koplo, and ambyar, and has released three original tracks: “Baper,” “Udarasa,” and “Sajerone Segara Sajembare Samudera.” read more

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, the Graduate Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) hosted the PSPSR Alumni Gathering: Reconnecting Bonds, Sharing Aspirations.

Held at the 5th-floor Auditorium of the UGM Graduate School, the event was warmly attended by PSPSR students, lecturers, and alumni. The session featured contributions from Dr. Rr. Paramitha Dyah Fitriasari, M.Hum., Dr. Aris Setiawan, S.Sn., M.Sn., and Karen Hardini, M.A., with Heni Siswantari, M.A. serving as moderator. read more