Clowns, princesses, farmers and other creatures performed for an audience that was dressed in Halloween costumes Sunday.

The Eastern Symphony Orchestra sponsored their annual “Fright Night” to entertain children, parents, and students with music and videos. Members of the audience and orchestra were dressed in Halloween costumes.

The orchestra played music that was originally performed during the play of Peer Gynt written by Henrik Ibsen, with music from Edvard Grieg.

The composition “Peer Gynt Suite I; Opus 46” is made up of four sections that tell the different parts of the main character of the play, Peer Gynt’s life.

Richard Rossi, director of Eastern Symphony Orchestra and choral activities, presented himself as Peer Gynt, and explained Gynt’s life and adventures presented by the music.

During the first section of the suite, “Morgenstimmung (Morning Mood)” Rossi explained how he ran away from home, and how this

composition and the video of flowers, mountains and scenery, showed his adventures to the

mountains.

For “Ases Tod (The Death of Ase)” Rossi, as Gynt, told of his return home and his selfishness towards his mother and his feelings after her death.

“Anitras Tanz (Anitra’s Dance)” was the story of a dance Gynt saw from a beautiful woman in North Africa.

“In der Halle des Bergkönig (In the Hall of the Mountain King)” was the story of Gynt’s escape from the king of Troll who wanted Gynt to marry his daughter.

Rossi said he liked playing the part of Peer Gynt.

“It’s the favorite I’ve done so far,” Rossi said. “I just had to be myself and act like a big kid like I do all the time. It was just fun, getting to be myself.”

The orchestra had special guest from the Symphonic Honors Initiative Program. This program is an outreach program to provide high school and middle school children with the experience of an orchestra performance.

The members of SHIP performed a variation of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” by Shinichi Suuki, “Humoresque” by Antonin Dvorak and arranged by Elaine Fine, “Bourree” by George Frederic Handel and “Fandango” by Michael McLean.

The members performed by themselves, without the help of the symphony orchestra.

This performance was followed by 48 children participated in a costume contest and were judged for the scariest costume, best cartoon costume, the prettiest costume, the best historical costume and the most original costume.

The children were also invited on stage for the last section of the show “A Night at the Movies” where the orchestra played the theme song to “The Lost World” by John Williams and arranged by John Moss.

Lexi Lenart, 7, said she was sad when the dinosaur wrecked everything in the video that accompanied the orchestra.

Rossi said he thinks it is fun for the children to be on stage with the music.

“We try to have a “Night at the Movies” so they can make a connection to something they may have seen,” Rossi said. “They can sit on the stage with the orchestra and feel the music under their feet.”

Rossi said he thought the performance went great and that if the children had fun then it went well.

“The excitement of the children, the light bulbs light up on their face, them being so happy to experience music that way,” Rossi said. “I think they will always remember it. It’s about the kids, not about us.”

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.