Northrop Presents
Haunted Harmonies
Featuring Caleb Hudson, Trumpet, and Greg Zelek, Northrop Organist
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m. CT
In Person / Livestream
On Demand Through Nov. 1
2026-27 Northrop Season
Put on your favorite costume and invite a friend to join us for an evening of mischievous fun as we welcome famed trumpet soloist Caleb Hudson in his Northrop debut. Hudson and Northrop Organist Greg Zelek pair up for a spooky season-inspired concert.
Featuring arrangements of haunted classics, the spine-tingling program includes both classical triumphs of supernatural beauty and pop favorites resounding with silver-screen nostalgia. Behold the Baroque depths of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor plus the dark Romanticism of Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Danse Macabre” and Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” Enjoy the whimsy of Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” theme, Danny Elfman’s “This Is Halloween” (from the animated classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas”) and selections from Vince Guaraldi’s “It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”
The striking virtuosity of the trumpet paired with the thunderous power of the Northrop pipe organ will bewitch you and the whole family!
Top image: Caleb Hudson, trumpet, and Greg Zelek, organ, jam together. Photo © Peter Rodgers.
Related Links, Quotes & Reviews
“Brilliantly stylish.” — The New York Times about Hudson
“Pristine and lustrous.” — Chicago Classical Review about Hudson
“Caleb Hudson, remember that name, a great young American trumpeter.” — NPR, Performance Today
“Seeing and hearing Zelek in action helps explain why praise follows the organist everywhere.” — Isthmus
“[Zelek] was engaging and educational, and a hoot to hear from. I loved how clear it was that he is sharing his passion.” — Northrop Patron
“Zelek was physically animated throughout the performance. His hands flew across three levels of keyboards while his feet worked the pedalboard like somebody playing Dance Dance Revolution in an arcade.” — Wisconsin State Journal
“An outstanding performance by an outstanding artist.” — Northrop Patron
“[Zelek is] both a world-class artist and a consummate entertainer.” — Northrop Patron
To Help You Decide
Create Your Own Package
Our flexible Create Your Own package lets you choose your experiences from any three or more in-person events from the 2026-27 Northrop Season! Limited time: Subscription packages are on sale only through Sept. 24.
Subscribers enjoy:
- Savings of 20% when you buy three+ Northrop Season events*
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- A newly added bonus — also get 20% off tickets to more Northrop Season performances purchased any time throughout the year!
- Flexibility at no extra cost — get unlimited free ticket exchanges
- Our appreciation for supporting Northrop programming and Centennial Commissions! Your purchase helps make a difference.
*Some exclusions apply.
Explore Discounts
Groups of 10 or more save 10% and pay lower per ticket processing fees on adult ticket prices for 2026-27 Season in-person events at Northrop, excluding Encore and Pick Your Price events. Discount cannot be combined with other discounts or offers.
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Know Before You Go
Event Information
- Seating: General Admission
- Performance & Livestream Begins: 7 p.m. CT, Oct. 27
- On Demand: Through 11:59 p.m. Nov. 1
- Duration: 80 minutes
- Pick 3 or More Events and Save
If you need assistance, please call 612-624-2345, email umntix@umn.edu.
Planning Your Visit
Learn More — Explore These Themes
The content below derives from the Northrop Across Campus Program that supports Northrop’s mission toward cultivating intersections between performing arts and education for the benefit of all participants now and for generations to come.
Find ways to make thematic connections to these suggested topics:
- Music: Organ, Trumpet
Dive deeper with these resources that provide additional information about the performers, the history of the art form and the artistic process.
Video: “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565”
Video: “Caleb Hudson: Corelli Sonata - III. Sarabanda (from album ‘Nothing Less’)”
Video: “Caleb Hudson - ‘Brass Chats’ by Monster Oil”
Video: “Evolution of Halloween Music”
“Impaired recognition of scary music following unilateral temporal lobe excision” — Brain: A Journal of Neurology
Start a conversation about the performance or encourage reflection, using these questions as inspiration.
Caleb Hudson, famed trumpet virtuoso and former longstanding member of Canadian Brass, has a keen ability to internalize music before even playing it. He developed this skill by heeding his first brass teacher’s encouragement to practice obsessive listening, according to a “Brass Chats” interview. Hudson brings this vast internal musical landscape to his collaboration with Northrop Organist Greg Zelek for a Halloween-inspired program of spooky arrangements. From Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” theme and Danny Elfman’s “This Is Halloween” to Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Saint-Saëns’ “Danse Macabre,” audience members will enjoy popular treasures and classical repertoire.
- How do artists develop taste, and how does this taste inspire their work?
- What makes music, or sound, scary? How does fear connect and/or disconnect us to art and people, past and present?
- What is it like to combine such a large instrument with another soloist on stage?
Northrop’s renowned Aeolian-Skinner organ was built between 1932 and 1936. It features four keyboards, nearly 7,000 pipes and stands more than 40 feet tall, making it the third-largest concert-hall organ in the United States. The organ requires meticulous maintenance and has recently undergone a $3.2 million restoration. Northrop Organist Greg Zelek advises on preserving this historic instrument while showcasing its versatility through unique programs and artistic collaborations.
- How does the organ span musical, cultural, artistic and spiritual traditions?
- How can spaces with organs (concert halls, auditoriums, churches) create new, unique artistic opportunities for audiences and artists?
- Which curatorial responsibilities do you think are specific to Zelek’s role on a university campus?
Acknowledgments
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Sponsored by hospitality partner, the Graduate Hotel Minneapolis.
Supported by Anna Heilmaier Foundation.
