A Spooky Halloween Organ Concert and
Tour
I have just come from a wonderful Halloween children’s
Organ Concert at church. There were jack
o lanterns at the doors. The organist wore
his black turtleneck sweater (and really needed a cape). Children and their parents were decked out in
their Halloween costumes. Most were on
their way to a community sponsored “trick or treat on the Lawn” at the local
university up the block. The organist
played the spooky Halloween organ piece you always hear in haunted houses in
shows and a couple of shorter pieces featuring really Halloween-y sounds. He concluded with a piece he played only with
his feet. The children were then invited
up to see the organ. He showed them several
different stops, played a variety of pipes, replayed a riff from the feet-only
piece so they could see how fast his feet moved, and answered their curious
questions. It was all over in less than
45 minutes.
But, in that 45 minutes the children
experienced a sanctuary that was a fun place to be, got a larger exposure to
the organ and it’s possibilities, met the organist who turned out to be sort of
a fun guy, and were loved by the church in their Halloween costumes. I suspect they will listen for the organ in a
different way the next time they are in the sanctuary. Which only proves that worship education comes
in many different forms.
Could you have a Spooky Halloween Organ
Concert next year at your church?
Intriguing idea! I think I would do this event with some modifications. I would have the children make the jack-o-lanterns and as we carved them an dug out the insides, share that is what Jesus does for those who believe in Him. He cleans us out, makes us a new creation and fills us with HIS light (insert candle!)
ReplyDeleteAfter a sharing the large parish Book of Saints where the deaths of the dearly departed are registered each year and lovingly remembered on All Souls Day, I would proceed to introduce them tot he organist and enjoy some "spooky" music as well as become instructed in the place the organ has served the CHURCH for centuries.