Phil Acimovic

Phil Acimovic is a gamelan musician and composer from Easthampton, MA. Acimovic studied Javanese Gamelan in Surakarta, Indonesia for two years with master musicians Bp. Wakidi Dwidjomartono and Bp. Darsono Hadiraharjo. He also worked closely with Bp. Darsono, Bp. Yadi Tejapangrawit, Bp. Midiyanto, and Barry Drummond. Acimovic currently directs the Yale Gamelan Ensemble, the Smith College Gamelan Ensemble, and Gamelan Lebdo Budoyo, a community gamelan group in Western, MA. In 2018 he organized and managed the tour of Ngudi Raras, a gamelan gadhon troupe from Java, giving concerts and workshops at institutions across the U.S. He also served as editor for Gamelan Scores: Javanese Wayang Kulit Tales in Three Dramatic Styles, a part of the Lontar Foundation's Wayang Educational package.

As a composer, Acimovic writes concert music that explores austere musical worlds, contrasting states of serenity and disquietude. His music always include flexible performance elements, reminiscent of his experience with Javanese Gamelan. His music has been performed by the Penn State Other Arts Ensemble, the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, and the Empyrean Ensemble, among others. In 2018 he served as Artist-In-Residence at the Cold Hollow Sculpture Park in Vermont. Acimovic studied composition at UC Davis, Tufts University, and the Hartt School of Music.