Beat the gong “until it laughs”: Panggiyo Resowiguna (interview)

This interview with Panggiyo Resowiguna, master tuner and teacher at STSI Surakarta, reflects on his visit to New Zealand to restore the tunings of the Victoria University gamelan sets. Drawing on a family lineage of gamelan makers and his own expertise, Panggiyo reestablished the distinct sonorities of the Cirebon and Central Javanese instruments while also sharing his artistry as a rebab player. His work illustrates both technical precision and cultural continuity, ensuring the instruments’ authentic sound for teaching and performance abroad.