OU’s Symphony Orchestra is set to play one traditional performance and a special Halloween costume sho
Whether you’re interested in traditional pieces from the likes of Beethoven or arranged melodies from the popular movie Frozen and the Game of Thrones series, the Ohio University Symphony Orchestra has something for you.
The Orchestra is set to play its first concert of the year on Tuesday at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, but the typical ensemble will transform into ghosts and goblins a week later with Halloween music for the annual Hallowpalooza show Wednesday Oct. 29.
The set list for the seventh annual Hallowpalooza will take a spellbinding shift from Tuesday’s classical repertoire. Instead of classical pieces, the orchestra is opening and closing the show with a collection of Halloween-inspired music while dressed in costumes, said Steven Huang, associate professor of instrumental conducting-orchestral and conductor of the Symphony Orchestra.
The Symphony Orchestra is playing a song medley of the Disney movie Frozen, which will have a singer hopefully dressed as a Frozen princess, and a piece from Game of Thrones, Huang said.
Allison Lane, a junior studying violin performance and a violinist in the Symphony Orchestra, said a few students performing with the Symphony Orchestra are planning on dressing up with a Game of Thrones theme in mind.
The Halloween-themed show begins at 7 p.m. while a special children’s show earlier that morning at 10 a.m., which is free for all kids under 12. Around 1,300 kids are expected to be in attendance, Huang said.
Tuesday night’s show will include four pieces of classical repertoire, including Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 2” and Franz von Suppé’s “Light Cavalry Overture,” Huang said.
“(The Pieces) are all a little different,” said Lukas Scheiffarth, a senior studying finance and music, and a violinist in Symphony Orchestra. “Beethoven is this massive piece compared to Franz von Suppé, which is quieter because there are not as many people playing.”
“Symphony No. 2” dates back to the beginning of the 19th century when Beethoven was becoming more aware of his deafness, which is why it’s a particularly full and powerful piece.
Other songs are considered “character pieces” and reflect on a person’s life, Lane said. More specifically, the piece “Lieutenant Kijé” by Sergei Prokofiev tells a story of the different stages of Kijé’s life in Russia.
“I think it would make it more exciting (for an audience member) if they were to learn about what the pieces are about and what they’re trying to express,” Lane said. “A lot of people think they are just songs with no lyrics so you don’t know what it’s about. But, they are written for specific reasons.”
Ohio University Singers, the Trombone Ensemble and Oboe studio among other groups will perform as well, Huang said.
