Charleston Symphony Artistic Director helms popular family-friendly Halloween concert matinee

The South Carolina Philharmonic presents Halloween at Hogwarts on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 3:00 PM at the Koger Center for the Arts. This family-friendly concert matinee will be under the baton of guest conductor Yuriy Bekker – critically acclaimed pops conductor from the Charleston Symphony. The SC Philharmonic will turn the Koger Center into that famous school of witchcraft and wizardry, with fun activities in the lobby during pre-show. The program includes plenty of music from the popular Harry Potter films, alongside spooky classical fare like Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” selections from Bernard Herrmann’s Suite from the film Psycho, and highlights from Stephen Schwartz’ hit Broadway musical, Wicked.  Tickets may be purchased by visiting scphilharmonic.com or by calling the Koger Center Box Office at 803-251-2222.

For this season’s spooky holiday offering, the SC Philharmonic has enlisted the talents of conductor Yuriy Bekker. A critically acclaimed violinist and conductor, Bekker has been a mainstay of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in Charleston, SC for 15 years. He has recently been named the CSO’s Artistic Director and continues to lead as Concertmaster (2007) and Principal Pops Conductor (2016).  Bekker previously served as the orchestra’s Acting Artistic Director from 2010-2014, playing a major role in the orchestra’s successful resurgence. In 2011, Bekker was given the Outstanding Artistic Achievement award from the city of Charleston to honor his cultural contributions to the community.

The combination of familiar music from the Harry Potter films with equally recognizable works from the classical cannon continues to make Halloween at Hogwarts an accessible entry point into orchestral music for Midlands families. The SC Phil also collaborates with Steve Borders (longtime Koger Center Technical Director) to elevate the concert with exciting stage lighting that brings the music to life through color and movement.

This concert furnishes pre-concert family fun in the lobby by providing Hogwarts-themed activities. Audience members can get their very own lighting bolt on their head, engage and learn about amazing creatures through a partnership with Carolina Wildlife, or grab one of the “Have You Seen This Wizard?” frames for a photo op with family and friends. Costumes are highly encouraged.

Halloween at Hogwarts will be presented on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 3:00 PM at the Koger Center for the Arts. This event is in-person only. Tickets range from $25 to $55 in Gryffindor sections. Though the seating sections are named for Hogwarts houses, audiences do not have to buy tickets in the house that they were assigned to by the sorting hat. Tickets may be purchased at scphilharmonic.com or by calling the Koger Center Box Office at 803-251-2222.

The South Carolina Philharmonic is committed to performing live symphonic music and providing dynamic educational opportunities in the Midlands. We carry forward a legacy of passion for the music and embrace our responsibility to be a vibrant part of the cultural fabric of our diverse community.

For more information about the South Carolina Philharmonic, please visit SCPhilharmonic.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.