This post was updated Oct. 28 at 1:06 p.m.

UCLA Philharmonia is orchestrating spookiness this Halloween.

The flagship orchestra of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, UCLA Philharmonia has consistently put on programs to bring classical music to the school community. To kick off this quarter, the Philharmonia is presenting a free Halloween-themed event, “One Foot in the Grave,” in Royce Hall on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Professor Neal Stulberg, the ensemble’s leading conductor since 2005, said the concert is a fun twist on celebrating Halloween: through an orchestra.

“It’s a Halloween party,” Stulberg said. “We’re there to have fun. We’re there to play great music.”

When thinking of this quarter’s opening program, Stulberg said Royce Hall’s availability and its naturally spooky organ prompted the return of a Halloween concert – a theme last played by the Philharmonia in 2008. Third-year music performance student Rubani Chugh said she hopes the event’s theme attracts a wide audience with a love for Halloween. In contrast to most orchestra performances, this concert’s mysterious pretense could even appeal to people largely unfamiliar with classical music, thus creating a diverse auditorium atmosphere, Chugh said.

The program includes works of composers across a variety of music periods, each presenting a distinct melody yet cohesive eerie sound, she added. Many of the pieces take inspiration from mythological horror tales and scary tone poems, Stulberg said, including the soundtrack of the 1970 horror film “Taste the Blood of Dracula.” Chugh added that the instruments convey the narrative through musical techniques and stylistic alterations in mood.

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One such piece, “The Noon Witch, Op. 108, B196,” by Antonín Dvořák, outlines the story of a disobedient boy who ultimately faces the horrific noon witch to own up to his actions, said fourth-year music performance student Tina Shigeyama. The oboe in this piece represents the young boy and his emotions, demonstrated by mischievous melodies and a sonic back-and-forth with bass clarinet playing the noon witch, Shigeyama said.

Furthermore, Dvořák’s composition is explicit in its unpredictability, as it is riddled with contrasting lyrical and scary tones, Chugh added.

A key work included in the performance narrates Arnold Schoenberg’s noted composition “Accompaniment for a Film Scene, Op. 34,” with subtitles “Threatening Danger, Fear, Catastrophe,” Stulberg said. He added that this piece is particularly special, as Schoenberg’s name adorns the music building, and the concert launches the worldwide celebration of his 150th birthday. Shigeyama said Schoenberg’s work is representative of the dynamic range of classical music and the eccentric capabilities of instruments. The contemporary composition doesn’t shy away from exploiting the lower, unexplored notes of the oboe that other composers might not deem beautiful, she said. Furthermore, Chugh said the piece demands quirky musical techniques from the violin, such as “col legno,” which produces a creaking sound by hitting the wood of the bow against the strings of the violin.

As is intuitive from the name, “Accompaniment for a Film Scene” was written as a potential film soundtrack, which Stulberg said propelled him to present a student’s original short film alongside the composition. By augmenting the orchestra with short films, Chugh said the concert becomes more relatable to a wider public. The performance is brimming with other visual elements, Stulberg said, one being that the entire orchestra will play in costume, while also encouraging the audience to attend in spooky attire.

Replacing the standard black concert attire with individualized Halloween costumes allows the audience to create a personal connection with the performers and translates to an acceptance of their self-expression, Chugh said. Moreover, Shigeyama said the costumes permeate the performer-audience boundary, hence breaking the intimidating presence of an orchestra.

“(When) you have an orchestra fully dressed up in tuxes and dresses, there can be a sort of invisible boundary between the audience in terms of formality,” Shigeyama said. “Being in costume hopefully will bring that boundary down and make it a community thing rather than a ‘you-watch-us-play’ type of thing.”

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Despite the popularity of Halloween as a theme in many artistic styles, Stulberg said the sonic power of an orchestra is unique in its emotional expression. Unlike most art forms, an orchestra’s beauty lies in its community, Chugh said, with the end product cusping on the harmonious performance of each and every member. Shigeyama said this is a double-edged sword – though playing in synchrony lends opportunities for personal growth, it requires meticulous work and hours of practice. Nevertheless, Chugh said by wielding the power of music in multitudes, the concert can formulate a long-lasting effect.

Halloween stands out as a holiday in its ability to empower people to express and present themselves uninhibited by judgment, Chugh said. The concert reflects the spirit of Halloween, she said, as many of the pieces allow for creative improvisation and imaginative liberty.

“When I was older, it was also a way I could dress up however I wanted, and no one could stop me,” Chugh said. “This concert … has allowed me to experiment in a manner too, where I’m not just experimenting and being creative with my dress, but also with the sounds I produce.”

In line with the mission of the School of Music to engage with a variety of musical communities, the concert aims to expose audiences to the dynamic nature of orchestra, Chugh said, in the hope that people leave with a renewed interest in classical music. Above all, Stulberg said the organization aspires to make this a Halloween to remember and invites the audience to come equipped with a fun and spooky attitude. Chugh said by drawing in people of varied interests through music, UCLA Philharmonia aims to bring an edge of sensational excitement to the horror-filled day.

“The performance is helping with our message of coming together, and not only coming together as a unit, as an orchestra, but also using music as a means to connect to an audience,” Chugh said. “Using music as our main medium … hopefully it’ll bring some excitement to the audience’s day.”