Monster Musik Showcases Spine-Tingling Melodies Today

Spooky songs and a musical tribute to a mythical vampire dog will take the stage during the nineth annual Monster Musik, a free electric guitar concert at 8 p.m. tonight, Oct 24 in the College of the Mainland Fine Arts Building Recital Hall.

Director John Kiefer will debut his newest piece "Chupacabra," a musical ode to the legend of the same name. The eerie piece, based on a ten-note scale Kiefer created, echoes the haunting call of the vampire dog.

"I composed the piece this summer after viewing a Louisville museum exhibit on mythical creatures," said Kiefer. "Chupacabra was first reported around 1995 in Puerto Rico. Sightings have now been reported as far north at Maine. I saw one in the news recently. It's a myth, but people are having fun with it."

Opening with an unnamed mystery piece, the concert will segue to the quintessential sound of doom with "Jaws." The thrills continue with the Munsters theme, "Creepy Guitar Claws" by Seth Roach and "Sticks and Stones" by Canadian composer Sean Bell. The concert will crescendo with the furious beat of the classic "In the Hall of the Mountain King."

Rolling fog, flickering lights and eerie electric guitar chords will fill the air as COM students in the ensemble transmogrify familiar songs into masterpieces of dissonance and distortion.

"That's the beauty of the art form. Everyone has their own take on it," said Kiefer. "The concert is intended to be fun, scary-sounding music."

Children are welcome to wear their spooky costumes to the free, family-friendly concert.

For more information, call 409-933-8545. For more about the COM music program, visit www.com.edu/music.

College of the Mainland offers a variety of fully accredited associate degrees and certifications that prepare students for success in transferring to a university or entering the workforce, including programs in process technology, business and health care. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, COM has an excellent professor-to-student ratio that allows instructors to connect with each class. We're the launching pad for success stories throughout the Mainland. For more, visit www.com.edu.

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