One of the first Balinese dancers to study in the United States, Bandem earned his master's degree in dance from UCLA, and his PhD in ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University in 1980, the first Indonesian to do so.
As a scholar in the field of world music, Bandem fathoms and advances a school of thought popularly termed as the “bi-musicality” that was initially promoted by Mantle Hood.
During his studies in the US, Bandem learned and came to terms with sounds and rhythms from around the world including music genre of Japan, Thailand, Korea, as well as China.
In return, such experience gave Bandem the capabilities and firmness to conduct in-depth research of various Nusantara (Indonesian) music including Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Java, and Bali.
Aside from immersing himself in the studies of world music, Bandem also mastered the integral aspects of dance and theatre – all influencing his scientific approaches.
One highly regarded work is the book Kaja and Kelod: Balinese Dance in Transition (1981; reprinted 1995) and distributed by Oxford University Press, Kuala Lumpur.
Other theoretical publications about music, dance, and theatre of Indonesia include Prakempa: A Cosmology in Balinese Music, Wayang Wong in Contemporary Bali, Traditional Theatre of Indonesia, and Encyclopedia of Balinese Dance – all these books are text books and reference for those studying Indonesian arts.
Bandem's commitment in ethnomusicology augmented with the establishment of an Indonesian music association namely Masyarakat Musicology Indonesia (MMI) by him and a group of friends in 1985.
Today, MMI has advanced as Masyarakat Seni Pertunjukan Indonesia (MSPI), as a center for research, creation, and development of Indonesian arts, both classic and contemporary.
The outstanding response led to the amplification of studies upon the Indonesian arts and culture particularly in the learning of the music and dance.
Consequently, many leading universities in the United States of America, Canada, Japan and Europe sought the inclusion of Indonesian art and culture studies into their curriculum.
One interesting interpretation of this policy is Continuity in Change, an aspect elaborated and practiced in many occasions including the Bali Arts Festival.
During his time in the USA particularly in Hawaii and California, Bandem actively lead PERMIAS (Indonesian Student Association in United States of America).
After completing his doctoral studies in USA, Bandem returned to Bali and continued his enthusiasm in Indonesian politics.
This position permitted Bandem to become a member of the Indonesian House Assembly (MPR-RI) as state representative for the Province of Bali (1988-1998).
During his time as member of the Indonesian House Assembly (MPR-RI), Bandem was elected as the Secretary and Speaker for the Ad Hoc II Committee that is responsible for strategies and decisions of the national politics.