According to Scandinavian folklore, The Kraken is a large and legendary sea monster with a reputation for sinking ships and terrorizing sailors. “The Kraken,” composed by Kevin Sluder, tells this treacherous tale through song, with an eerie low melody that resembles the sounds of the sea. Sluder’s song was also the finale to the Advanced Orchestra performance on Wednesday, Oct. 8. And for many of the members of the orchestra, it was the highlight of the night.

The evening began with a performance from the Freshman & Friends Orchestra, a group of first-year high school players. This concert was also their first live performance together in front of an audience.

“It was a little scary, because you’re thinking, well here’s that spot where something bad might happen,” Ms. Howard, the orchestra teacher said.  “And it didn’t. And I thought, ‘oh, okay, good. Nobody died.’ They did a really great job.”

After the Freshman & Friends Orchestra exited, the Advanced Orchestra took to the stage. They presented a chilling performance of “Creepy Classics,” a medley of spooky melodies such as “The Hall of the Mountain King” (Edvard Grieg) fit into one eerie composition by Roy Phillipe. Next, they played a cozy autumnal tune, “Autumn’s Passing” composed by Anthony Susi, and transported the audience to a different world complete with crunchy leaves and cozy sweaters. And last but certainly not least, they performed “The Kraken,” the personal class favorite.

“I like how the lower strings have the melody,” Farrah Murray (’28), first chair bass, said. “It went really well with the song as a whole. It helped you visualize what was happening in the piece.”

Perhaps the most exciting part of the night was when the Robinson Band joined the Advanced Orchestra on stage for one last performance. Together, they performed a breath-taking “Strange Twists and Devious Turns” composed by Peter Sciaino.

“It’s fun because I know a lot of them, and it also gives, like, a sort-of a full orchestra sound. It’s not just strings, it’s the percussion, and the woodwinds and the brass… We sound really good together,” first chair for violin Amelia Cottrell (’28) said.

Overall, the concert was a huge success for the Robinson Orchestra. Both the audience and the orchestra agree: You just had to be there.

“We have a lot of fun together,” Howard said. “Orchestra is a great way to make friends that are going to last for the rest of your life.”