For the May appointment with our first-Friday-of-the-month music series at Woolwich Works, we will be travelling to the South-Eastern corner of Asia to discover its music and traditions.

Catch another inspiring double-bill of music from Indonesia and the Philippines, performed by The Southbank Gamelan Players, an ensemble who over a 25-year career have worked with the likes of Björk and gained a global reputation for their traditional Javanese music performances.

The second part of the evening will be inspired by the Visayas region in the Philippines where the family and cultural roots of British-Filipino singer, songwriter, and sound healing practitioner Ruhiya lie. Her music, which focuses on topics such as nature, dreams and femininity is a captivating synthesis of her Filipino ancestry and soulful and folk-inspired arrangements.

Let Arsenal of Sounds be your guide on another journey of musical discovery.

Ruhiya

Influenced by soul, world, folk, jazz, chant, mantra, and nature, British-Filipino singer-songwriter Ruhiya uses her music to connect with her heritage.

She has performed all over the world, Glastonbury Festival to New York to a women’s prison in Cebu, Philippines. Her debut album Ginhawa, meaning 'Breath' in her native language Visayan, was released in July 2022. Her beautiful, soothing vocals have been championed by the likes of Songlines, Arts Council England, and BBC Introducing.

Southbank Gamelan Players

Southbank Gamelan Players, Ensemble in Residence at Southbank Centre, was founded by Alec Roth in 1987.

Working closely with dancers, puppeteers and composers from Indonesia, Europe and the USA, the group has established an international reputation both for its performances of traditional Javanese music and for its championing of new music for gamelan.

The group has commissioned and collaborated with a wide range of musicians including Björk (MTV Unplugged) and performed at the BBC Proms, Southbank Centre, and the Edinburgh Festival.