Spooktacular!

It’s not often that a concert is “optional” for students.  

This Halloween Concert was the brain child of our Orchestra Director and he “threw” it together in two weeks right in the middle of the concerts of the previous marking period, Brigadoon rehearsals and the Dracula performances.  The results were amazing and awesome.  It was done purely for fun… and it was!

It’s not often that the audience members look like this!

There were a good number of audience members who were dressed for the occasion and the whole dressing up thing helped to excite my children about attending another concert.  On my way in to the auditorium I overheard some High School students say “I wish I was going to be in this” and we entered the very haunted auditorium.  Side note: I am “the best Mom” having found a Darth Vader costume WITH mask for a few dollars at a second hand.  Tristan has been wanting to be this at Halloween for years.  Nathan is sporting the Dragon vest that Tristan opted to wear as his coat one autumn as a little tike and Kaitlyn is dressed as a flower girl; former costume of Lindsay’s from a dance show she was in once.

It’s not often the conductor arrives through fog in a coffin  on a rising orchestra pit dressed like Dracula in the midst of a graveyard. 

Rick opened the show under the spotlight with selections from “Phantom of the Opera”.  I had a hard time pointing him out to my younger children and then convincing them that it was their Dad up there.  I finally had to tell Nathan that Dad was “the one playing the piano”.  Technicalities!  Then the concert began with Orchestras 3A and Chamber.We heard “The Giants” (very sinister), “Dance Macabre” (which I love), “Thriller” (Nathan’s favorite along with any musical number with drums), “Ghostbusters” (with audience participation of course), “Scooby Doo” (little something for everyone) and “Monster Mash”.

There was a full house.    By the end the stage was filled with Orchestras 2 and 3 joining the already large group.  They played “Gargoyles”, “A Goblin Feast” and “The Munsters Theme”. 

It’s not often the orchestra members look like this either.

Haley seen with her friend and stand partner, again with more friends and finally seen holding her little brother and her “Tall Bestie”.  He is of course standing with his “Mormon Bestie”.

The show closed with the amazing number “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” with a violin soloist and a vocal soloist dueling out in front of the entire orchestra.  Rick sang backup for the vocalist while playing the keyboard on stage with the group.  It was so much fun.  I will say a “no nap” two year old doesn’t make the best audience member.  Picture a 50 lb sack of potatoes that arches his back, wrestles and threatens to jump off over the edge of the balcony unless there’s a drum playing, in which case he jumps off the folded up seat to boogie amidst the seated audience.  Thankfully I have a very good friend who doesn’t mind sitting with me and helping out with my kids.   I wasn’t sure I was going to attend this performance (why I spent the afternoon at the museum instead of giving naps) since I did not have money in my budget to attend.  Rick pulled a few strings, gave me a call and met me at the door with comp tickets for me and the kids so we could go and then he also pulled a couple more strings so he and the girls wouldn’t have to wait to eat until they got home at 9 p.m.  (I had offered to send them with dinner to heat up but pizza was easier and more fun).   I bribed Nathan just a little with a couple of fun-size bags of M&M’s.  For the most part the little dragon did a good job because of this.

Lindsay with her friend Jayde, her friend since their big sisters (a few pics above) were in Kindergarten together.  And Haley again with more friends and her “Clan Leader” in Brigadoon.

It’s not often the teachers look like this!

Nathan doesn’t see a whole lot of his Dad these days… he wasn’t too sure about the change.  Haley is thrilled to find Cruella Deville (last years math teacher).

It’s not often that concerts are this much FUN!  This one was SO much fun.