The Moore Philharmonic Community Orchestra announces that it will perform an admission-free fall concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at Sandhills Community College Owens Auditorium.

"The fall concert is a new event for the orchestra," says Eric Kopecky, music director and conductor. "The number of concerts for the season has been expanded to three in an effort to provide an opportunity for the community to enjoy more of the world's greatest music completely free of charge."

The program is going to wrap up the fall/Halloween period with some exciting music based on the scary themes around mythical witches, ghosts and demons.

"The themes are all in good fun and the music is sensational," says Kopecky. "The concert will also feature some of the major works in the symphony orchestra repertoire."

Program highlights include:

n "Funeral March of a Marionette," by Charles Gounod, 1813-93 -- Gounod originally wrote this composition as one of the movements of a Suite Burlesque, which was never finished. Yet, the Funeral March has never lost its charm and popularity. The story line describes two members of the marionette troupe having a duel during which one was killed. The funeral procession enters the cemetery to a march rhythm, and the closing reflects on the briefness and weariness of life, even for marionettes. Listeners may recognize this piece as the TV theme song of one of Hollywood's famous mystery movie directors, Alfred Hitchcock.

n "Night on Bald Mountain," by Rimsky-Korsakov -- This symphonic tone poem was originally written by Modest Mussorgky and inspired by Russian literary works and legend. The theme is a night filled with witches, ghosts and demons. The mountaintop is taken over as these characters frolic through the night. At the close of the music, day break is beginning, the sun is rising, and the witches and demons disappear. Rimsky-Korsakov arranged the music from the original score, and it was first performed in 1886 and has long been a concert favorite.

n "Dance Macabre," by Camille Saint-Saens -- Originally written for voice and piano, it was later revised for full orchestra, replacing the solo voice with the violin. The magnificent violin solo is played by Kaitlyn Johnson, a high school senior at Pine Grove School.

n "Nightmare Before Christmas" -- This is an arrangement from the 1993 Tim Burton Halloween movie thriller of the same name. The film was nominated for five Oscars.

n "Unfinished Symphony," by Franz Schubert -- "The Unfinished" was actually Schubert's 8th Symphony. It was written in 1822 but not performed until several decades after his death. It features two fully orchestrated movements. Some of Schubert's sketches and notes indicate that he intended to complete a traditional four movement symphony. Yet, in its two-movement form, "The Unfinished" has become one of Schubert's most popular compositions.

n "Toccata and Fugue," by Johann Sebastian Bach -- This powerful work was originally composed for organ sometime during 1703-1707. Over the years it has been transcribed many times for various solo and ensemble instruments. Leo Stokowski transcribed the work for full orchestra in 1927, and it became an immediate international recording hit. His arrangement was used in the 1940 Disney film, "Fantasia." The MPO will be performing the Stokowski arrangement.

"We have some outstanding music on this program," says Kopecky. "I believe the audience is going to thoroughly enjoy this concert. So please don't miss our exciting Sunday afternoon wrap-up to Halloween and a salute to fall."

The Moore Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) is organized to serve the community and to support music education.

The members include adults and talented college, high and middle school students. The MPO is an IRS-approved nonprofit tax-deductible organization.

Sandhills Community College serves as the official host for the orchestra. Rehearsals and most concerts are scheduled on the SCC campus.

For complete information about becoming a member, a partner donor, or the concert schedule, visit www.mporchestra.com or send an e-mail to moorephilorch@aol.com.?