{"id":5050,"date":"2024-10-06T12:52:08","date_gmt":"2024-10-06T16:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/?p=5050"},"modified":"2024-10-06T12:52:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-06T16:52:10","slug":"sounds-of-fright-bloomington-symphony-orchestra-presents-halloween-themed-concert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2024\/10\/06\/sounds-of-fright-bloomington-symphony-orchestra-presents-halloween-themed-concert\/","title":{"rendered":"Sounds of fright: Bloomington Symphony Orchestra presents Halloween-themed concert"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Connie Shakalis Special to The Herald-Times<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra<\/a> encourages the public to help it celebrate five and half decades of local orchestral music. For those who imagine symphonies as stuffy or hyper-serious, here come surprises. Wolves, werewolves and howling will accompany October’s concert, “Once upon a Midnight,” geared toward grownups this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scary October show not just for kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Kids can certainly come,” said the orchestra’s executive director trombonist Donna Lafferty, “but it’s not cutesy.” Instrumentalists and audience members will enjoy designing their costumes for this one, at 5 p.m. Oct. 20. Last year’s scary concert called for Lafferty to don a head-dress bedecked with tentacles. Early on, she ditched it; the tentacles had been dangling across her vision field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musician-friendly head-dresses, nightmares, swirling witches, dark night and fear itself come in musical and narrative form this Halloween season at the symphony. Bloomington’s Lauren Bernofsky\u2019s rousing “Wild Ride on a Broomstick<\/a>,” Camille Saint-Sa\u00ebns\u2019s Danse Macabre, Leonard Slatkin\u2019s “The Raven” and Edvard Grieg\u2019s creepily memorable “In the Hall of the Mountain King” are intended to inspire audience thoughts of \u201cNevermore!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We spice things up with extra-musical elements,”<\/a> Lafferty said. So be on the lookout for the strange and startling plus some diminished and dissonant chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need a break?<\/strong> Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Todd<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The rest of the BSO season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For “Celebrate the Season,” at 7 p.m. Dec. 3, both attendees and performers will put on their “bling” clothing and accessories as they gather at the historic Tivoli Theatre in Spencer for that concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next April brings one of the orchestra’s two chamber (smaller) concerts. On April 5 the orchestra partners with Reimagining Opera for Kids<\/a>, bringing Anthony Prog’s original operatic version of “Aesop’s Fables” to the Monroe County Public Library’s West Kirkwood Avenue location. A chamber orchestra will accompany Prog’s five frolicsome arias, performed by local opera singers wearing costumes \u2014 and masks designed by Bloomington-based director\/actor\/artist Ansley Valentine. He also directs Reimagining Opera for Kids this 2024-2025 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“American Voices for All Times” comes at 5 p.m. March 9. The orchestra partners with the Bridges Youth Orchestra<\/a> and Indiana University’s Archives of African American Music and Culture<\/a>. George Gershwin\u2019s “An American in Paris,” Florence Price\u2019s “Ethiopia\u2019s Shadow in America” and William (Bill) Banfield\u2019s Symphony No. 6: Four Songs for Five American Voices highlight American music from jazz to spirituals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to program notes by K. Dawn Grapes for Fort Collins Symphony, although “Ethiopia\u2019s Shadow in America” premiered as late as 2015 \u2014 Price died in 1953 \u2014 last year alone it was programmed by 31 professional, university and community orchestras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“And Bill Banfield<\/a> is actually coming from Boston to Bloomington for this concert,” Lafferty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Banfield is a composer, professor and scholar of Black music and is founding director of Africana Studies at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. He earned a bachelor’s of music degree from the New England Conservatory, his master of theological studies from Boston University and his doctor of musical arts in composition from the University of Michigan. In the 1990s he directed the IU Soul Revue and was a professor in African American studies and music at Indiana University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

May’s concert, “BSO: Past, Present, and Future,” begins at 5 p.m. May 18. It will feature the piece the orchestra performed during its inaugural season in 1970 with Otto Nicolai\u2019s “Merry Wives of Windsor Overture.” Camille Saint-Saens’ “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso” and Sibelius\u2019s Symphony No. 2 complete the concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bloomington<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra wants your ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lafferty said a committee, which meets monthly and comprises representatives from all of the orchestra’s facets, decides which pieces to play, when to schedule them and with whom to partner. Decisions are made one year in advance and include input from people outside the orchestra as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The orchestra is integral to community,” Lafferty said, citing an example where a couple of its musicians became a literal couple. “A violinist and a cellist happened to be seated so that they could see each other in the front row during rehearsals and performances.” In one another’s sight-lines, they kept looking and eventually married.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We make long-term friendships, too, with others in our group and with outside groups,” Lafferty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lafferty is asking musicians, audience members and volunteers to reflect on the reasons they attend performances of Bloomington’s community orchestra. If you have a story, memory, favorite piece or an idea, the orchestra would like to know. Answers may be emailed to bso@bloomingtonsymphony.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find details and to order tickets to the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s concerts, go online to visit bloomingtonsymphony.com\/news\/55seasons\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Connie Shakalis Special to The Herald-Times The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra encourages the public to help it celebrate five and half decades of local orchestral music. For those who imagine symphonies… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9cNEX-1js","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3651,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2021\/11\/24\/bloomington-symphony-orchestra-celebrates-the-season\/","url_meta":{"origin":5050,"position":0},"title":"Bloomington Symphony Orchestra Celebrates the Season","author":"Donna Lafferty","date":"November 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Connie Shakalis, HT Columnist For the past five years, violinist and conductor Alejandro G\u00f3mez Guill\u00e9n has served as artistic director and conductor of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, which is busy preparing for three holiday performances. I happened to catch his \"Wade in the Water: Exploring Florence Price\u2019s Symphony No. 4\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4959,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2024\/08\/02\/call-for-scores\/","url_meta":{"origin":5050,"position":1},"title":"Call for Scores","author":"Donna Lafferty","date":"August 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is thrilled to announce the first-ever Call for Scores for our annual holiday concert, \u201cCelebrate the Season\u201d. The BSO is seeking works relating to the theme of \u201cHolidays.\u201d One selected work will be performed and recorded on November 29, 2024 in Bloomington, IN with a\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4859,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2024\/05\/02\/bloomington-symphony-orchestra-performs-a-nontraditional-program-with-images-masks-more\/","url_meta":{"origin":5050,"position":2},"title":"Bloomington Symphony Orchestra performs a nontraditional program with images, masks, more","author":"Donna Lafferty","date":"May 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Connie Shakalis Special to The Herald-TimesBloomington Symphony Orchestra's spring program will whirl attendees through Paris in a nontraditional eddy of obsessive, unrequited love and boundary-bashing harmonies. Two programmatic (written to tell a story) symphonies will enlighten audience members on the lives of French composers Lili Boulanger and Hector Berlioz. \"Symphonie\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3514,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2021\/10\/15\/bloomington-symphony-orchestra-to-perform-works-of-black-composer-florence-price\/","url_meta":{"origin":5050,"position":3},"title":"Bloomington Symphony Orchestra to perform works of Black composer Florence Price","author":"Donna Lafferty","date":"October 15, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Concert Oct. 24 will feature symphony by Florence Beatrice Price Connie Shakalis - Special to the H-T Florence Beatrice Price, known for being the first Black female composer to be nationally recognized, will be honored Oct. 24 by the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. The group will present Wade in the Water\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4949,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2024\/07\/25\/55-seasons-55-reasons\/","url_meta":{"origin":5050,"position":4},"title":"55 Seasons \/ 55 Reasons","author":"Donna Lafferty","date":"July 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra is excited to share the details for our milestone 55th season. We're calling it \"55 Seasons \/ 55 Reasons\" because, for the last 55 years, we've had countless reasons to celebrate our role in the creative landscape of our amazing hometown. Here's a quick look at\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1388,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2018\/05\/13\/ht-preview-of-masterpiece-intensity-and-passion\/","url_meta":{"origin":5050,"position":5},"title":"HT Preview of Masterpiece: Intensity and Passion","author":"Donna Lafferty","date":"May 13, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Bloomington Symphony closing book on 48th season By Peter Jacobi H-T columnist Once again, we come to a \u201cnext Sunday\u201d event you should know about ahead of time, not on the morning of the performance. So, I cast the spotlight on next Sunday evening\u2019s concert by the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Purchase Tickets"","block_context":{"text":"Purchase Tickets","link":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/category\/purchase-tickets\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5050"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5052,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5050\/revisions\/5052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}