On October 30th, the Timberlane High School and middle school orchestras put ona spooky show for the Timberlane community. The performance drew families, friends, and staff members who were eager to listen to the annual “Spooky Concert”. Students arrived in costumes, adding color and creativity to an already amazing night.
The concert featured a mix of Halloween classics and fun seasonal pieces, showcasing the talent of all the Timberlane musicians. The setlist consisted of “Fright Night”, a mashup of many different halloween classics like “A Night on Bald Mountain” and “Phantom of the Opera”. It also consisted of “Ghostbusters,”“Thriller,” and “Spooky Stranger Skeletons”. “Spooky Stranger Skeletons” is a mashup of Spooky Scary Skeletons and the theme from popular television show Stranger Things. As the orchestra played, the audience was encouraged to clap along and sing when appropriate. The performance was enhanced by special effects like a fog machine and haunted decorations that filled the stage. These decorations were put together by the hardworking janitorial staff, who always make the stage look great for every event. Together, these elements created an unforgettable atmosphere that captured the spirit.
Audience member Maison Herbert said his favorite piece was Fright Night, especially “the transition from Jaws into Phantom of the Opera.” With his sister performing in the middle school orchestra, he said it was exciting to experience the show from both a family and audience perspective. Maison also said that he loved the pre-concert potluck, saying, “The potluck was awesome. There were so many food options to choose from.” As a previous member of the high school orchestra, he also added, “I think it was the best Spooky Concert yet. Everyone sounded great.”
High school conductor Mr. Lyons shared similar thoughts. He shared what he most enjoyed about the concern. “I think my favorite piece to conduct was Thriller. I like that there was a speaker-adds unpredictability.” To convey the spoken ending of the piece, sophomore Joey Hester delivered a spot-on impression of Vincent Price, leaving viewers in the audience shocked. Reflecting on the overall performance, Lyons said, “Having the spooky concert on the 30th really brought the community together. I was excited for parents to see the hard work we put into the concert, which is usually only performed for middle school students.” In years past, the spooky concert was only performed during the school day for the middle school. In addition to that this year, it was also performed for the community in a more formal setting. In a final statement, Mr. Lyons applauded the potluck, calling it “an exciting way to see the orchestra community come together for an evening event,” and expressing hope that it becomes a long term tradition.
High school violist Avery Simmons agreed that the night was a success. Although the potluck was “a little over
stimulating,” she said the energy made it “the strongest community-building function the orchestra has ever hosted.” Avery’s favorite costume of the night was “the Bill-pretty sure it was Clara Patrissi,” she added.
