ARIS DARYON
Opus 1 composer
Aris is one of six selected Opus 1 composers for 2025
"I am an Indonesian composer, traditional gamelan musician, and educator based in London. My practice is deeply rooted in the sonic and philosophical richness of gamelan, which I reimagine through contemporary composition. I am particularly fascinated by the resonance, vibration, and textures that emerge when blending gamelan techniques with other instruments and tuning systems.
Gamelan’s emphasis on collaboration, mutual respect, and collective interpretation continues to shape both my musical language and my cross-disciplinary work. I’ve collaborated with choreographers, puppeteers, jazz musicians, visual artists, and theatre-makers to create multimedia works that bridge cultural tradition with experimental forms.
Recent highlights include presentations at Classical:NEXT (Berlin), the Asian Composers’ League Festival (Japan), Colourscape Festival (London), and collaborations with Arahmaiani at Tate Modern and Sriwhana Spong at the Busan Biennale. I’m currently developing a new multimedia project with the Southeast Asian community in the UK, which will premiere in 2026."
See more on Aris's website and soundcloud.
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Getting to know Aris
What’s the first thing you do when starting a new piece?
Come up with spontaneous musical ideas, then sleep early to get a good night’s rest to let them settle.
Where do you find inspiration for your music?
Surrounding environment.
Was there a particular moment when you knew you wanted to be a composer?
When I first heard the Rite of Spring and realised it sounded a lot like heavy metal.
What are you hoping to explore or challenge in your work during Opus 1?
I aim to explore the boundaries between musicians—the limits of how much they can contribute to shaping and interpreting my music—to fully maximise the expression I want to convey.
What 3 pieces of music would be on your desert island disc?
1. Gendhing Titipati Mrabot (suite): Titipati - Peksi Kuwung - ayak ayak Panjang Mas - palarans.
2. Violin Concerto - Alban Berg
3. Guede Man Na - Kulanjan album (Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabate)
Tea or Coffee?
Tea (a cup of coffee in the morning…)
Early bird or night owl?
Night owl
Pencil or software?
Software