A boisterous pre-Halloween gathering of devils, witches, and sorcerers will occur this evening.

The University's Philharmonic Orchestra opens its season tonight with haunting Halloween selections.

University Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Douglas Meyer has chosen his favorite Halloween themes: the "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint Saens, "A Night on Bald Mountain" by Modest Mussorgsky, and the Symphony No. 8 in G by Antonin Dvorak. The seasonal pieces were chosen to attract a good audience, Meyer said.

Mussorgsky's Russian folk fantasy includes a mob of chattering witches, Satan's procession, harmonic and melodic filth, and continuous outcries of music. Saint-Saiens' "Danse Macabre" finds a midnight gathering of spirits and skeletons dancing at the revel of the dead on All Souls Eve. The acclaimed Symphony No. 8, by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, is spontaneous and unpretentious.

The orchestra is composed of 70 musicians, half of which are music majors. The group has practiced the concert pieces three hours a week since the beginning of the semester. The orchestra has grown greatly in size, skill, and energy during the last two years, Meyer said.

Meyer's love of conducting has brought him to Arizona, North Carolina, Iowa, Austria, and Switzerland.

David Pimentel (junior-music education) is in his second year as President of the University's Philharmonic Orchestra.

Meeting people through the orchestra and affecting its ideals and energy level are enjoyable, Pimentel said. Through Pimentel, the orchestra suggests possible works to the conductor.

Pimentel has been in the orchestra for his three years at the University. He said he has played the violin since the age of 5.

The University orchestra has existed for 25 years. Before Meyer's arrival two years ago, the group was in a transitional period with no permanent conductor, Pimentel said. The group has received fresh blood and more energy, he said, because Meyer works with individual musicians.

Meyer said the orchestra performed Tuesday night at the Altoona campus to a larger-than-expected crowd of 350.

This was the first time in three years the orchestra has performed outside the University, Pimentel said, and it was successful.

The orchestra will travel to Europe this summer to perform and tour. Meyer said they will travel to Budapest, an old city with many cultural happenings; Vienna, sister city of Budapest, the center of Romantic music, and mother to many great composers; and Munich, capital of Bovaria, a more modern city. The group will also go to Stuttgart and stay with families.

Ancient and modern cities are sharply contrasted by the chosen tour stops, Meyer said.

Visiting these cities will provide the group with a sense of history and place to connect with the music they play, Pimentel said.

The University orchestra will play with youth orchestras and at community centers during the tour.