Halloween-inspired concert pairing trumpet soloist Caleb Hudson and Northrop organist Greg Zelek, featuring classical and pop supernatural themes, with a pre-show gathering.
Haunted Harmonies comes to Northrop on Tuesday, October 27, with trumpet soloist Caleb Hudson making his Northrop debut alongside organist Greg Zelek. Kristen Brogdon moderates the evening, which is part of the Conversations at Northrop series—a collection of lectures, panels, and conversations held in collaboration with University of Minnesota departments.
The program pairs two instruments that don't often share a stage—trumpet and pipe organ—to explore the spooky themes of the evening. Along the way, it asks why the organ is so commonly associated with mischief or fear. The repertoire blends classical supernatural staples, like Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre, and Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King, with pop favorites steeped in silver-screen nostalgia: Ray Parker Jr.'s Ghostbusters theme, Danny Elfman's This Is Halloween from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and selections from Vince Guaraldi's It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
Much of the night centers on the instrument itself. The Aeolian-Skinner organ, built between 1932 and 1936, has four keyboards, nearly 7,000 pipes, and stands more than 40 feet tall, making it the third-largest concert-hall organ in the United States. It recently underwent a $3.2 million restoration, so it's in good shape for a night like this.
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The concert is on Tuesday, October 27, at 7 PM on the Carlson Family Stage at Northrop, 84 Church St SE, Minneapolis, and runs about 80 minutes. There's a pre-show gathering in the Northrop lobby starting at 6 PM, and the performance is available on demand through November 1.
