The M-A Orchestra held its fourth Halloween Concert in the PAC Cafe on Tuesday evening. Its Halloween-themed pieces ranged from traditional to modern compositions. The orchestra donned costumes to get into the spooky spirit, including Music Director William Flaherty in a Phantom of the Opera costume.
When Flaherty became Music Director, he started the tradition of hosting a casual, spirited concert that showcases the orchestra’s skills, since the orchestra rarely performs alone. The event was free to the public, meant to foster community connection.
The orchestra kicked off with John Carpenter’s “Halloween Theme.” Originally composed on piano and synthesizer for the 1978 horror movie Halloween, the song was undeniably a fitting starting piece. Arranged by Michael Story for orchestra, it featured eerie melodies carried by the strings section.
Next followed “Trick or Treat” by Brian West, an aptly named piece full of mischief and classic Halloween themes. Cymbals, brass instruments, and a triangle added to the spooky atmosphere evoked by the main strings melody.
The orchestra moved on to “Dark Adventure” by Ralph Ford. The performance featured dramatic, almost battle-like passages, along with a mystical air fit for cauldron brewing. Its tempo and dynamic changes made for a true musical “adventure.”
Next was “Corpse Bride,” a medley of songs from the 2005 animated musical film Corpse Bride, which tells the story of a timid groom who accidentally marries a dead woman and is pulled into the Land of the Dead. The piece, arranged by Douglas E. Wagner, consisted of selections from throughout the soundtrack, resulting in a varied range of tones. Some parts carried a faster, more mischievous tone, while another section from the film’s “The Wedding Song” differed in its romantic, jubilant nature.
The orchestra followed with a unique piece—Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” in an orchestral arrangement by Chris Larosa. The song’s desperation and romantic melodies were translated smoothly onto the strings, making for a beautiful take on the popular song. The modern arrangement provided a good contrast to the rest of the program.
Freshman violinist Margot Smart enjoyed the piece. “Most pop songs don’t sound the best when they’re turned into orchestra band pieces, but ‘Die With a Smile’ worked out,” they said.
“We had a harder piece, but we had to stop doing it because we weren’t practicing for three weeks because of the PAC fire,” Smart said about “Phantom of the Opera,” which had initially been their favorite song in the program.
The concert ended with a playful piece from previous years: “House of Untold Horrors” by Lauren Bernofsky, an innovative performance that mixed Flaherty’s dramatic narration with clever orchestral sound effects. Telling the tale of a man named Willoughbus Wallaby and his adventures in an abandoned house, the final piece earned laughs from the audience.
“I loved it,” parent Nora Singer said. “The [story] at the end was so funny, and I liked [seeing the students] in their costumes.”
“I like performing, and I like that this is a nice little community, so I’m happy to do the concert,” Smart said.
The orchestra will perform its winter concert on Dec. 2.
