Looking for early treats? The Bowdoin College Concert Band (BCCB) might have just the thing for your sweet tooth.
As part of Parents Weekend, BCCB is sponsoring a Sunday pre-Halloween concert called "Spooktacular."
"With Halloween being exactly one week from Sunday, I decided to offer up a program that captures the mood of the season as well allowing the band members, and hopefully the audience, to have some light-hearted fun," said BCCB Director John Morneau.
The "Spooktacular" program includes selections from popular movies, including "Star Wars," "The Witches of Eastwick," "Jaws," "Dracula," "Edward Scissorhands," "Harry Potter," "Spiderman," "Beetlejuice," and several others.
Other selections include compositions of the "Twilight Dance," "Goddess of Fire," "Abracadabra," "Ghosts," and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." These pieces are meant to bring out the dark and mysterious side of Halloween and develop themes of intrigue and fantasy.
For instance, Abracadabra starts in the key of G minor, which emanates dark imagery. The piece concludes in what at first seems to be an explosive finale, but, through a shift in tone, changes to what can only be called a final disappearing act.
"Twilight Dance," by William Ballenger, involves tuned crystal glasses and unusual instrumentation to create the composer's vision where "darkness descends upon the thick woods, [and] a fantastic dance unfolds before our eyes," said Morneau.
Morneau is hopeful that the "Spooktacular" performance will be well-attended.
"We have been fortunate during the past several years that our concerts have been well attended with enthusiastic audiences," said Morneau. "I believe that people attending Sunday's concert will have a great time with this program as well."
Morneau noted that BCCB's next concert will be on November 21 at 2 p.m. at Studzinski Recital Hall. The theme for that program is "GHOSTS!"
"I encourage Bowdoin students to support their friends and fellow students who are performing Sunday, while enjoying a spooky and mysterious concert," said Morneau, who has been working at Bowdoin for 32 years. "There will be several other surprises in store at the concert, but I really can't reveal that until Sunday."
The "Spooktacular" performance will take place this Sunday at 2 p.m. in Kanbar Auditorium in Studzinski Recital Hall. It is free and open to public.