Friends of the Gamelan, affectionately known as FROG, traces its roots to the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, held in Chicago.  One of the many exotic attractions on the Midway Plaisance was the Java Village, complete with a Sundanese gamelan.  Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History was founded to preserve, catalog, and exhibit the many cultural treasures from the Exposition, including the gamelan. In the late 1970s, a group began to meet regularly at the Field Museum to play on those very instruments. FROG formed in 1980 as a not-for-profit educational organization with the purpose of purchasing a Javanese gamelan for pedagogy and performance, to continue the work begun at the Field Museum.

Ki Midiyanto, a highly respected gamelan musician and puppeteer (dhalang), assisted FROG in commissioning our bronze gamelan set, Gamelan Sri Sedana, from a gamelan maker in Java. It arrived in Chicago in 2000.  

FROG has been privileged to work with many outstanding Javanese gamelan musicians, including Hardja Susilo, Midiyanto, Sumarsam, Harjito, Wakidi Dwidjomartono, Raharja, Ki Purbo Asmara, Joko Sustrino, Heri Purwanto, Darsono Hadiraharjo, and Heni Savitri. FROG also enjoys a close relationship with the Indonesian Consulate-Chicago, which often provides dancers for our performances. FROG has performed at many notable venues, including Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, Chicago World Music Festival at Preston Bradley Hall, and the Field Museum.

Under the current artistic direction of Alex Yoffe, FROG rehearses two times a week and gives concerts and workshops throughout the year.

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Friends of the Gamelan is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and by individual donors.

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