REBECCA KLASSEN

MUSIC

While taking kathak dance classes at San Francisco State University, Rebecca attended a performance in which the professor's dance company collaborated with Gamelan Sekar Jaya. She fell in love with the gamelan's spirit and realized that Wayne Vitale, GSJ's managing director, also taught at SF State, so she signed up for that class as well. A couple years later, she ran into Wayne on the street and mentioned how much she enjoyed playing. He said, "Why don't you join us?" Thrilled, she played with Sekar Jaya from 2002–2008 in its gong kebyar and angklung ensembles until she moved to New York.

Rebecca joined Dharma Swara as a dancer from 2012–2014. Following a long hiatus, in 2025 she realized how much she missed gamelan and saw that DS was holding a music workshop. Before she left the house, her spouse said, "You're so busy. Have fun but don't join the gamelan." She didn't heed his advice and is still having fun.