I Nyoman Wenten

I Nyoman Wenten serves as Adjunct Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he directs the Music of Bali Ensemble. He simultaneously holds the position of Chair of Balinese and Javanese Music and Dance at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), maintaining dual institutional affiliations focused on Southeast Asian performing arts preservation and pedagogy.

His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from UCLA, an advanced degree from the National Academy of Dance in Yogyakarta, Java, and foundational training at the Music and Dance Conservatory in Bali.

Wenten specializes in Balinese and Javanese traditional music and dance with particular emphasis on Gamelan orchestration. His four-decade career bridges performance, cultural diplomacy, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, exemplified by his work on the 2018 documentary BALI: BEATS OF PARADISE where he fused traditional Gamelan with contemporary pop elements alongside Grammy-winning artist Judith Hill. His research actively combats the diminishing practice of sacred Balinese musical traditions through innovative pedagogical approaches.

As director of UCLA's Music of Bali Ensemble, Wenten mentors undergraduate students across diverse academic disciplines in the complex techniques of Balinese gamelan—metal percussion orchestras that narrate Hindu epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana. His ensemble serves as both cultural sanctuary for Southeast Asian diaspora students and musical expansion for Western-trained musicians, preparing performers for international stages beyond campus boundaries.

Wenten's professional impact extends through diplomatic channels where he previously directed music, dance, and language programs for the Indonesian Cultural Center under the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, while maintaining extensive performance history across five continents including collaborations with institutions throughout the United States, China, Japan, and Europe.