By Dani Bigham | Reporter
On a cool, windy night with a golden, nearly-full moon, the Baylor School of Music hosted its 33rd Halloween Organ Concert, combining modern music with a macabre instrument.
The School of Music also played a small trick alongside their auditory treats. They printed a small spider on the back of their program — which at least a few attendees fell for and attempted to kill.
Each organist dressed up according to their piece, with costumes including masks, capes and hats. They were illuminated with orange string lights scattered across the floor and dramatic stage lighting that was coordinated to each piece.
The concert started on a lighthearted note with the 20th Century Fox fanfare.
The first major arrangement was a medley from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” followed by the only traditional organ piece, Bach’s “Prelude in A minor.” The audience enjoyed a callback to “Barbenheimer” as an “Oppenheimer” medley was played back-to-back with Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” done in the style of Bach.
The concert took a brief detour toward a more vampiric nature, with the main themes from “Batman” and “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.” A selection of tunes from the video game series “Kingdom Hearts” brought the energy up, while “Married Life” from “Up” and “Test Drive” from “How to Train Your Dragon” brought a heartwarming and uplifting brightness to the whole show.
It ended with a beloved classic, the “Raiders March” from “Indiana Jones.”
Dallas freshman Arlette Hahn came to the concert dressed as NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. She said she enjoyed the “Oppenheimer” medley the most.
“I thought it was a really great piece. They put a lot of effort into it, and I personally really liked the movie,” Hahn said. “It was overall good, with the drums, along with everything — it just made it seem really nice.”
The Livingstones themselves made a surprise appearance at the concert, dressed in their Golden Wave Band finest. Dr. Linda Livingstone was partial to both “Barbie Girl” and the “Indiana Jones” theme.
“It was all fabulous, [with] unbelievably talented students,” Livingstone said.
