Led by visionary composer Evan Ziporyn, this powerhouse ensemble has captivated audiences at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, BAM, and the Bang on a Can Marathons, among many others. In 2005, they electrified Bali itself, performing at the Bali International Arts Festival, Kuta Beach, and in villages across the island.

Galak Tika thrives on bold, boundary-breaking collaborations, commissioning works from both Balinese and American composers and seamlessly blending gamelan with Western instruments. Highlights include Christine Southworth’s pulse-pounding "SuperCollider" for electronic gamelan and Kronos Quartet, Evan Ziporyn’s transcendent "Bayu Sabda Idep", and thrilling new works by Gusti Komin Darta, Dewa Alit, Ramon Castillo, and Wilco’s Glenn Kotche. The group is also known for Ziporyn’s rock gamelan classics "Tire Fire" and "Amok!", high-energy, rhythmically charged pieces that ignite the stage with their raw intensity.

The group plays on three distinct gamelan ensembles—a traditional pelog set, a custom-built just intonation set, and the fully electronic Gamelan Elektrika, which redefines what gamelan can be.

The name "Galak Tika" comes from Bahasa Kawi (a classical Javanese-Sanskrit dialect), meaning
—a spirit that drives every note they play.

Evan Ziporyn, Artistic Director

Gusti Komin, Director