Organ Music, Ghostly Gargoyles & Ghoultide Carols: Lynchburg AGO Presents a Halloween Spooktacular

Get ready for an evening of musical chills, thrills and Halloween fun! The Lynchburg Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present a Halloween Spooktacular Concert on Friday, October 23 at 5:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 611 Clay Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504. The concert is free and open to all, and audience members of all ages are invited to come enjoy an entertaining evening of music inspired by the spooky season.

The mighty pipe organ will take center stage as chapter members present a haunting—and sometimes delightfully mischievous—collection of works guaranteed to put audiences in the Halloween spirit.

Sumner Jenkins, Organist and Choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, will perform Charles Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette and Léon Boëllmann’s powerful Toccata from Suite Gothique.

J. William (Bill) Greene, Director of Music at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, will play Ataccot by J. S. Bach/Enjott Schneider and Totentanz (Jig for the Feet) by William Albright, bringing even more dark and dramatic sounds to the program.

Peggy Haas Howell, Organist and Choirmaster at St. John’s Episcopal Church, will offer several spectacular selections, including J. S. Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Louis Vierne’s wonderfully spooky Gargouilles et chimères (Gargoyles and Chimeras), and Henri Mulet’s thrilling showpiece Tu es petra et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus te (Thou art the rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail against thee).

The evening will take an especially magical turn when Cantate Children’s and Youth Choir, under the direction of Ms. Howell, joins the program to perform “Double Trouble” from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, composed by John Williams.

And the fun doesn't stop there! The audience will be invited to join in singing Ghoultide Carols, adding a spirited and interactive touch to this festive Halloween celebration.

From haunting melodies and dramatic organ works to gargoyles, witches, wizards and carols, the Halloween Spooktacular promises a memorable musical journey through the darker—and more fun—side of the season.
Bring your family and friends, come in costume if you wish, and experience the thrilling sounds of the organ in the beautiful setting of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Free parking is available in the large parking lot behind the church.

For more information, contact Sumner Jenkins at (860) 921-7859 or sumner.jenkins@gmail.com