Stanford symphony ensembles enchant at annual Halloween concert

Despite sharing a night abound with alternative festivities, the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Wind Symphony always seem to fill out Dinkelspiel Auditorium’s 700 seats for their annual Halloween Concert.

Every year, the performance enthralls the crowd with the promise of two premieres, a new conductor, and new costumes. This year’s concert included a third: the debut of a composition by Stanford’s own Andrew Lee ’25. Attendees also had a lot of fun — it was probably the most laughter you would ever hear during a symphony concert that includes a Stravinsky ballet.

Dressed as a mobster lobster — donning a black top hat and vest with red pinchers — trumpeter Johnny Dollard ’24 opened the night with introductions for each orchestra section, their costume themes and one-liners: “Sea creatures is a misnomer,” he said of the brass. “More like B-flat creatures.” It was a joy to listen to the audience chortle as much at their own laughter as they did at Dollard’s absurdly irresistible puns. As a warning to the oboe section dressed as golden snitches, Dollard said, “Better watch out or I’ll give you golden stitches.”

In 2021, Symphony Orchestra Conductor Paul Phillips led a cowboy themed-program as Woody from “Toy Story.” In prior years, Phillips dressed as John Snow, Jack Sparrow and the Devil. After Dollard finished seating the hundred members of the Orchestra, Phillips unveiled the night’s first premiere: he would conduct tonight’s “sorcery” themed program as Dumbledore. 

The program began with the “Harry Potter Symphonic Suite,” a melody of songs from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Audience members held their phones out to record a soundtrack that transported them back to that first scene in Hogwarts’ Great Hall, into the depths of Chamber of Secrets and onto the Quidditch pitch. 

The Orchestra continued with Paul Dukas’ “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” the famed music from Disney’s “Fantasia” in which Mickey Mouse tries to prevent his magical broom and water bucket from multiplying and flooding the room. The ensemble concluded the first half of the concert with the last movement of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird,” a ballet chronicling a young prince’s triumph against evil sorcery. 

The puns rolled on after intermission. In perhaps a quintessential Stanford moment, Wind Symphony conductor Giancarlo Aquilanti introduced the costume theme for the flute section: “The Matrix.”

Eight flutists dressed in black leather and sunglasses marched on stage. The final student emerged with a cardboard sign featuring large, square brackets enclosing three rows and columns of numbers and variables, appearing as the mathematical namesake of Neo’s simulated reality. The audience laughed nervously, sharing a moment of confusion with Aquilanti. “I don’t get what’s going on,” he said. Where else but Nerd Nation?  

The Wind Symphony started off with “Sogno di Volare,” composed by Grammy award-winning Stanford Alumnus Christopher Tin ’98 for the popular video game “Civilization VI.” Shortly after came another Stanford original composition: the Wind Symphony premiered Lee’s “Fairytale,” which Lee said was inspired by Studio Ghibli, Pixar and anime “Violet Evergarden.” Timing only permitted the performance of the fourth movement, “War’s Triumph,” a piece brimming with powerful brass climaxes. By the end, the audience could hardly contain their applause during a resounding final note from the tam-tam (a deeper, more dramatic type of gong).

Then, the evening’s final premier featured a competitive costume contest. Nine-year-old twins Caroline and Claire Zhao — dressed as Tinkerbell and Cinderella, respectively — conducted their first symphony after winning against a formidably-dressed Queen of Hearts. Amusing as it was for the audience, the Zhao twins stood reluctantly with the baton as the symphony played through John Philip Sousa’s “The Washington Post – March.”

I asked Caroline and Claire if they plan to conduct again, and though their mother tried answering for them, the girls gave a resounding “No.” Throughout the concert I sat next to first-year postdoctoral scholar Jiangyu Wang and Mia Cordova ’26. It was their first time at a Stanford Symphony concert, both laughing throughout and saying they were excited to come to more.

Both symphonies now prepare for their Fall Concerts, to be held the weekend of Nov. 15 at Bing Concert Hall. On Friday, Nov. 15 and Sunday, Nov. 17, the Symphony Orchestra will reprise the music from “Fantasia,” tell the rest of Stravinsky’s “Firebird” story, and feature Spencer Cha ’26 — 2024 Stanford Concerto Competition Winner — playing Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto. On Saturday, Nov. 16, the Wind Symphony will showcase Lee’s “Fairytale” in its entirety.

Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.

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