S

ita, 17, sang a classical song while her classmate Dareen, 16, passionately played the piano at vocational music school SMK Musik Perguruan Cikini on Jl. PLN Duren Tiga, South Jakarta.

'€œI love playing the piano and feel highly satisfied as I have managed to compose a classical piece,'€ said Dareen, who grew up listening to Chopin compositions.

Sita said she listened to classical music whenever she was down as it lifted her spirits.

'€œI don'€™t know exactly why, but when I sing classical songs, my mood instantly lifts,'€ she said.

The love they have for classical music is such that they plan to build careers around it, which is why they study at SMK Musik Perguruan Cikini.

'€œI want to become a composer and a performer. My dream is to perform my own pieces at the Aula Simfonia Jakarta [Jakarta Symphony Hall] in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta,'€ Dareen said.

Sita said the school quenched her immense interest in music through theory and practice sessions.

'€œI'€™m glad that I choose to study at this school because here, from Monday to Friday, I am able to spend four hours a week practicing vocal skills and six hours learning musical theory,'€ Sita said.

Established in July 2005 by the Perguruan Cikini Foundation, the vocational school is one of only three in the country that specialize in classical music. The other two are SMK Musik Sarasvati (Sarasvati vocational music school) in Pulomas, East Jakarta, and SMK Musik Negeri 1 Kasihan Bantul (Kasihan Bantul 1 state vocational music school) in Yogyakarta.

School principal Syifa Sofiatun Mardiyah said her institution strived to create smart and broad-minded musicians through intensive music instruction.

'€œSixty-five percent of our curriculum consists of musical practice and theory. The remaining 35 percent covers basic lessons such as language, natural and social sciences and math,'€ she said.

The school has a dormitory to accommodate students who endure long practice hours.

'€œStudents stay in the dormitory so they don'€™t need to waste time in traffic. This is necessary because students have to practice with their instruments for at least two hours after school hours,'€ Syifa said.

She said young people should be encouraged to play music.

'€œMusic helps youngsters channel their energy and negative emotions. By playing music, they can avoid getting involved in brawls and other detrimental activities,'€ she said. (ogi)