Classical works still enchants youth

Leo Wahyudi S, Contributor, Jakarta

Despite the typical today dynamic and upbeat music selections, some children and teenagers still display an enthusiasm for operas, choirs and orchestras, stage performances which to some are regarded as dull and old-fashioned.

These young people, however, are not the kind of people who sit in the audience and dutifully watch. In fact, they performed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Bastien and Bastienna opera, composed in 1768 when the musical genius was just 12-years old.

The opera was staged by students from the privately owned Pelita Harapan University on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Noted German music professor Ulrich Prinz, the orchestra's conductor, was one of the few senior members in the group.

Besides the opera performance, staged at the Goethe Institute and sponsored by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, the students also presented a students' choir and an orchestra which played Johan Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio.

Bastien and Bastienna was given a distinctly Indonesian flavor because all performers dressed in colorful traditional costumes.

The university students presented the works to observe Christmas.

But why pick just classical works to perform?

Priskila, who starred as the male character Bastien, said classical works were not obsolete and as awful as many believed.

"I learned to love them as they are part of modern art," said Priskila, a student at the university's music department.

Education institutions had contributed to the problem of young people becoming dissociated from the arts, she said.

Similarly, Anita, one of the orchestra's violinists accompanying the opera, said the most important thing was how to encourage teaching in this area.

"Our little opera might be one way of promoting them, particularly to the younger generations," Anita said, adding the fun aspect of the performances would likely attract their interest.

Anita said many young people ignored classical works because they were somewhat addicted to easy listening, popular music.

She believed if there were chances for children to get to know classical pieces, they would possibly fall in love with them.

If there were more attractive campaigns by qualified practitioners or teachers, the classical works would earn a special place in the hearts of the young generation, Anita said.

"But of course, it will take time and determination to vie for such recognition," she quickly added.

Meanwhile the university's rector, Johannes Oentoro, said it was hoped the performance had increased the skills of the participants and students in the audience.

Johannes, also a great lover of classical music, was one of the soloists performing during the concert.

"A strong grounding in the classics will be a strong base for any kind of music," he said.

In response to the fact that many young people were not interested in classics, he said everybody had their own interests and so did the era.

"Let's say that in the recent era there are not many people who like classics, so we cannot force them to shift from what they enjoy."

Johannes underlined the importance of incorporating classical music into school curriculums.

Other experts too have stressed that arts of any form must be included in the national curriculum.