Putu Eman Sabudi Subandi, better known as Emon Subandi, was born and raised in a family deeply immersed in Balinese arts and culture. Encouraged by his father, I Made Subandi, a maestro in gamelan composition and music, Emon showed a talent for music from an early age. His involvement in gamelan grew significantly at SMK Negeri 3 Sukawati and deepened further when he pursued his studies in ethnomusicology at ISI Yogyakarta. In this inspiring academic environment, Emon formed close relationships with various musicians and artists, actively participating in diverse and exciting music projects, including his contribution to the “Gamelan Cage” album in 2012 and his original works like “Mekale” and “Megilak” in 2017. One of his remarkable achievements was an extraordinary artistic collaboration between Japanese Noh theater and Balinese-Indonesian traditional arts, held in Tokyo in 2018. His talent gained even more recognition when he was entrusted as the mentor and composer for the Children’s Gong Kebyar Ensemble representing Gianyar Regency at this year’s (2024) Bali Arts Festival. Through his dedication and contributions to the arts, Emon Subandi has become a prominent figure who strongly represents the cultural richness of Bali and Indonesia more broadly, continuing the artistic legacy founded by his father at Sanggar Ceraken.
