On 16th February 2008, our secondary student orchestra (supported by 35 students) performed at Bina Musika & Friends Concert held by Bina Musika at Pasaraya Blok M. A variety of classical pieces for mainly string instruments was performed by students of many fine music teachers from Jakarta and Surabaya.

We were the only student orchestra for the night. Our performance opened with My Heart Will Go On (the theme song of Titanic) played by a small ensemble group with a band support. The presence of a recorder sound played by Beverly (Year 8P) gives a melancholy ethnic touch to the song. The music sweetly ended with a duet with violin (Arno, Year 11) supported by the ensemble. The second song, played with a full team of the orchestra player and the band, was Canon in D by Pachelbel played in two part canon. We packaged this one in a reggae style which gave a nice new feeling to the tune. This is a piece for an intermediate violin student that we managed to teach our students who took violin for less than a year and mainly don’t have a personal violin.

The last piece was Ode to Joy Fantasia by Mr. Tim Sutomo, a work based on L.V. Beethovent 9th symphony arranged for later beginner student in symphonic orchestra. The twist of 7/4 beat feel in the beginning part of the theme gave a fresh new excitement to this classical tune. After a dynamic journey, appeared an exiting cadenza played by Mr. Prima (the violin instructor) that finally led back into the theme then to the coda where the conductor Mr. Tim Sutomo brought the performer to the last hight point together. Performance of the last number was also supported by some teachers from Bina Musika who sighted-read their part throughout for flute, clarinet and french-horn. The sound was tremendously sonorous, uplifting and exiting. Bravo student orchestra!

Some listener feedbacks of the program favored STM orchestra to be the performance they could enjoy and relate the most. Thanks to our students hard work and to collaboration of Mr. Prima (violin instructor) and Mr. Tim (arranger/coordinator), it was just a beginning. Let’s support our orchestral program!