The soundtrack at Oak Park and River Forest High School is classical.
Floating above the chatter of students hustling through the hallways are the faint sounds of Mozart, Beethoven and Dvorak.
“There are certainly kids who would rather hear [rock band] Korn, but that’s not the purpose,” said Jack Lanenga, assistant superintendent for operations, who is in charge of the selections.
A number of studies document the benefits of tranquil, classical music.
For the last 10 years, students and staff have been serenaded with instrumental fare between classes and at the beginning and end of each day.
But steering clear of lyrics doesn’t stop officials from mixing it up every once in a while.
During cultural week, the halls were alive with tunes from around the world.
While Lanenga admits the melodies may not have a huge impact on the school, he said he gets a lot of positive feedback from students.
“It does add, I think, a touch of class to the entire atmosphere,” he said.
