Orchestra conjures up spooky fun at annual Halloween concert

When Kevin McMahon came to Purdue University Fort Wayne as an assistant professor of music and conductor of the University and Community Orchestra, he brought something fun with him. While he was a student at the University of Michigan, McMahon participated in a Halloween concert where orchestra members wore costumes and played appropriately themed music. That kind of experience was something he introduced to the PFW campus in 2023.

"My hope was that Halloween would be so fun that we would have more people in attendance, and it would just up the whole energy for everybody," McMahon said.

Fans and players now look forward to the annual Halloween-season concert-some in the 70-member orchestra put in months of planning to develop distinctive looks. Adding to the ambiance, this year's event actually takes place on Halloween, this Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Auer Performance Hall. Tickets cost between $6.50 and $9.50, but are free for PFW students.

The performers walk on stage in ones or twos so everyone can appreciate their attire, as well as their musical talent.

"I think the orchestra members enjoy the costumes, not just because it's a way to have fun and express ourselves, but also to invite the audience to do so as well," said Jake Fost, who plays French horn. "Dr. McMahon constantly talks about audience participation and seeing how we can involve the audience, telling our friends and family to come to our concerts, and just getting everything to feel like a community."

With a first name like Jake, Fost had an easy time picking his costume two years ago, "Jake from State Farm," wearing khakis and a red polo shirt. His mother came through with the defining addition, a magnetic name tag featuring the classic State Farm logo.

Last year, Fost went as Austin Powers, wearing a white cravat, velvet jumpsuit, and other accessories associated with the fictional British superspy. That beat shaving his head and going as Dr. Evil. This year, he's torn between Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean" and wearing a comically large suit jacket and going as David Byrne from the pop music group Talking Heads.

Rod Sroufe, who plays double bass, decided to go last year as Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken, leaving his percussionist son, Evan, looking for a complementary outfit.

"I thought I would just go as a chicken," Evan said. "I happened to decide this at the last moment, so when I went to the Halloween store, they were all out of chicken costumes. I grabbed the closest thing I could find to a chicken costume, which was a penguin costume. I thought it would be a hilarious deception if I wore the penguin costume and made our orchestra's Colonel Sanders sell KFP-Kentucky Fried Penguin-instead."

Violinist Oliver Bartz, B.S. '24, said now he's unable to look at Rod Sroufe without seeing Colonel Sanders.

"When the musicians are in costume, it removes the sense of authority the orchestra has over the audience and helps the audience imagine themselves in the orchestra," Bartz said. "It removes some of the impersonal feelings that audiences can get with an orchestra."

There's always a guest pianist for the concert, alternating between faculty maestros Jonathan Young and Hamilton Tescarollo. Young will play Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2 this year. After appearing as a Jedi knight two years ago, with a hood and a lightsaber, he'll dress this time as Aragorn, a ranger from the "Lord of the Rings" movies.

"They need to match the tone of the concerto, in this case heroic and sorrowful," Young said. "I prefer protagonist characters, especially since the two concerti at Halloween concerts have been composed by Rachmaninoff. I am beyond excited for this performance. It is my favorite piano concerto by my favorite composer!"

McMahon said Young and Tescarollo inspire the students to raise their level of musicianship.

The two-hour concert's first half will focus on traditional, legendary compositions, while the second consists of contemporary popular standards, including the themes from "Jaws" and "The Lord of the Rings."

Pushing the envelope event further, there have been some bold costume choices over the years, such as a kilt-wearing Scottish highlander and Super Mario. French horn player Abbi Winterhalter will wear a rainbow-colored xylophone costume Friday night.

"You have to have the confidence to play wearing the costume, which all makes it very fun," said Allyn Beifus, B.A. '18, a pianist who last year wore a witch T-shirt and hat, vampire cape, and skeleton mask and hands. She ditched the gloves and mask to play.

Ryan Smith, a double bass player and orchestra director at Northrop High School and Jefferson Middle School, said he sometimes takes costume advice from students. Last year, Smith went as Dr. Eggman from the Sonic games.

"You just get to the point where it's going to speak to you at the last second, so you go with it," said Smith, who this year is considering Indiana Jones or Mr. Clean.

McMahon dressed as a skeleton in 2023 and Frankenstein's monster last year, both times removing his mask to conduct. At press time, he wasn't sure of his choice for this show.