Halloween isn't over for the Bowdoin College Concert Band (BCCB), which will perform "GHOSTS!" for its fall concert on Sunday. The performance will feature a host of haunting spirit-themed pieces.
The BCCB is made up of student-musicians led by Director of the Concert Band John Morneau.
Morneau chose the spooky song selection, which he said was especially difficult to prepare for.
"We have pieces that a university ensemble would have trouble performing," said Morneau.
The BCCB will be performing pieces such as "La Tregenda" from the opera "Le Villi," "Twilight Dance," and "Ghosts."
"Ghost Train" will be performed by Lecturer in Music and Applied Music Instructor Frank Mauceri on the saxophone and Joyce Moulton on piano.
To add to the dramatic theme of the night, Morneau also decided to open the concert with a new composition by Andrew Boysen called "Twilight of the Gods."
The piece was commissioned by a consortium of schools across the U.S.
Boysen is the director of bands at the University of New Hampshire and is internationally recognized for his compositions.
He has gained renown across the U.S. as a guest conductor.
"It is a fascinating work based on an end-of-the-world myth from Scandinavian mythology," said Morneau.
"The piece was a compilation of many fears and hopes I had about the world we live in," said Boysen. "I wanted to reflect those emotions in my music."
These fears of the current world found expression through a myth that contemplated the apocalypse.
Yet, in the end, there is still hope that the humans can endure and that the world can be reborn.
"The piece speaks for itself," said Boysen.
"Twilight of the Gods" has only been performed two other times: once by La Sierra University's Wind Ensemble and the other at College Band Directors National Conference in Nevada.
The piece not only musically embodies the myth it is based on, but visually conjures the myth's imagery as well.
As the wind band performs the written composition, an animated video, created by Erik Evensen, is played behind the musicians.
Evensen and Boysen collaborated on this part of the performance.
"The special effects [of the video] in the percussion section are must-sees and must-hears," said first year Imelda Ko, who will perform on Sunday.
The dark, luminous tones of the music are reinforced in the video that tell the story of apocalypse caused by a series of events, including great battles and civil wars, depictions of gods and their adversaries.
There is a twist to the story at the end that can be felt and heard through the tone change of the song, as well as seen through the video.
Evensen is an art director, graphic designer and illustrator, and a consulting art director for film and multimedia at Milkhouse Productions in New York City.
Evensen has remained an active freelancer and chose to partner up with Boysen when he heard about Boysen's inspiration for his new piece. Boysen said the two worked well together and motivated each other to successfully marry art and music.
"Evensen was great," said Boysen. "It was always easy to bounce ideas off each other."
"I know Andy very well," said Morneau. "This piece is challenging and different, and it will be an exciting program for the audience."
BCCB members are looking forward to the concert.
"The pieces we will be playing certainly bring[s] out the richness of the band," said Ko.
The BCCB's fall concert will take place Sunday at the Kanbar Auditorium in Studzinski Recital Hall at 2 p.m.
It is free and open to the public.