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The Haunted Crouse Concert began with a performance of “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.” The extravagant opener was sung in a pitch-black auditorium with only phone flashlights illuminating vocalists’ faces. Accompanying the piece, Anne Spink played an overture on the auditorium’s pipe organ.

“I wanted to include a group number that would be creepy,” Jennifer Lamonica, the event organizer, said. “It’s from a show about murder, so it’s a perfect song to start off with.”

Syracuse University students performed in the Haunted Crouse Concert on Wednesday in the Setnor Auditorium. The short revue featured Halloween-themed songs, including “Sally’s Song” from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and Bach’s “Toccata in D Minor.” A small group of vocal and instrumental musicians comprised the ensemble.

Lamonica, adorned in a black witch’s cape, took the candle-lit stage and belted an impassioned cover of “No Good Deed” from “Wicked,” which was met with thunderous applause. She said it’s meaningful to have the opportunity to sing a musical theater song. Her other current endeavors have only allowed her to sing classical music, but she enjoys exercising the skill.

Lamonica sought to prioritize a fun and playful atmosphere where artists were free to perform music they were passionate about.

Edie Berndt is a performer who took advantage of the Haunted Crouse Concert’s open-endedness. She took it upon herself to coordinate a group rendition of “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road” from the recent Marvel series “Agatha All Along.” As a fan of the show, Berndt was thrilled at the opportunity to bring the piece to the concert’s program.

“It’s a four-part a capella piece. I’m very excited,” Berndt said. “The finale of the show is coming out (Wednesday), and I’ll have to delay watching it because I’ll be here singing.”

Emerson Carracedo, who performed alongside Berndt in the a cappella, was passionate about the concert. She joined out of a love for vocal performance.

Christian Calabrese | Staff Photographer

Musicians perform Edvard Grieg’s “Sorgemarsch over Rikard Nordrak (Funeral March in Memory of Rikard Nordraak).”

“I’m never going to turn down an opportunity to perform,” Carracedo said. “(Lamonica) has done a great job organizing it, and it’s a fun way to celebrate Halloween.”

It’s difficult for students to find time to explore the music they want to play, Lamonica said. If a performance opportunity doesn’t necessarily fulfill a graduation requirement, they struggle to justify the time commitment.

A struggle that the music students faced during the rehearsal process was a lack of participants. While the show eventually adapted to embrace its modest size, the plan was originally to feature more acts.

They made the most of their low numbers by featuring songs that were specific to the interests of individual students. However, Lamonica hopes to achieve a grander scale for next year’s Haunted Crouse Concert.

“This year it was a little thrown together, but I want to involve more musical theater majors and people who love Broadway,” Lamonica said.

Despite a difficult road that required drumming up interest and rehearsing several acts, the Haunted Crouse Concert came to fruition in time for Halloween. As the performers celebrate the triumph of this show, they also look forward to planning a winter holiday concert of a very similar nature.

“I’ll be doing this for the next couple of years,” Lamonica said. “The goal is to make it bigger every year until it’s a huge student celebration.”

Published on October 31, 2024 at 1:51 am

jdvogel@syr.edu