The family oriented Halloween event Spookaplooza is the first of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s 2010 season concert series. Spookaplooza took place at the Mulroy Civic Center and included a performance from the costume-clad Syracuse Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jeffery Meyer. They played compositions such as Modest Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” and select pieces from the Harry Potter movies. Later in their set the orchestra was accompanied on stage by the Ballet and Dance Center who performed a dance to the covered rendition of “Danse Macabre” originally by Camille Saint-Saens.
However one activity that created the spookiest sounds of the season took place before the performance portion of Spookapalooza began. It was called the Instrument Petting Zoo. This is an activity that was run by the orchestra’s Education Manager Robert Allen. The Instrument Petting Zoo allowed children the opportunity to experiment with instruments used by the orchestra. Allen says the instrument petting zoo, “Simply gives kids the opportunity to come try out different instruments from the orchestra and who knows maybe down the line they’ll pick one up and want to learn how to play it.”
At each station a representative from the orchestra showed children how to play a note or two on a certain instrument. Allen showed children the proper way to hold a violin, the angle in which to position the bow, and the amount of pressure to apply when striking the strings with the bow. Public Relations Coordinator Jennifer Luzzo helped children learn the proper way to blow into the mouthpiece of a trumpet in order to achieve the desired sound. After each child had his or her turn Luzzo would remove the mouthpiece and rinse it in a disinfectant solution to ensure nobody got sick. Other representatives explained the proper ways to play a flute, the melody structure to hit on a glockenspiel, and the methods of using the slide trombone.
The orchestras Director of Communications Vicky D’Agostino greeted guests dressed as a witch. She says, “We’ve had children who have come to our instrument petting zoo and then asked their parents to please get them involved in playing an instrument.” The children had a blast and came to the petting zoo dressed in various different costumes including werewolves and vampires. There were many outfits involving the Star Wars theme such as Darth Vader, Jango Fett and even a violinist from the orchestra was in complete Storm Trooper attire. There was even a youngster dressed as Mario, from the classic Nintendo video game Mario Brother’s, who air conducted the beginning performance from the orchestra.
The visual was definitely apparent at Spookaplooza but audio was the main focus of this Halloween extravaganza. Music education is a fun, interactive and inspirational form of self-expression. It can help children better understand the importance of working as team. Music can also strengthen their ability to think creatively. Many children who visit the Instrument Petting Zoo end up liking music so much that they ask their parents to take music lesson. Spookaplaooza not only gave children a safe place to celebrate Halloween, but it also gave them a new direction of interest that may spawn a life time of enjoyment.
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