Union College offered many events this Halloween, ranging from haunted houses to halloween parties for students to celebrate and be a part of while on campus. Simultaneously, the Music Department of Union College hosted a concert performed by the Japanese Drumming Workshop class and Zakuro-Daiko, the Union’s taiko drumming ensemble, that ran throughout the weekend and added to the _ on campus. 

The show was themed on George Lucas’s ‘Star Wars’ franchise and other space themed pieces of media, including ‘Dune’ and ‘Interstellar’. The theme was chosen by Professor Jennifer Matsue to celebrate the spirit of Halloween, manifested by the battle between the Workshop students and Zakuro-Daiko and also runs parallel to the theme of a future concert by the department this winter. Halloween was also incorporated into the concert in the form of a costume concert on Friday night, which received a lot of enthusiasm from students. 

 “Matsue Sensei chose the concert theme,” said Pic Kerins ’28, a flutist in the group, “it corresponds with the ‘Planets’ theme for the concerts in winter term.” Each performance contained a storyline that kept the audience entertained and pieces were connected by their science fiction themes. 

The audience followed the Japanese Drumming Workshop’s fight with the rebel group, Zakuro-Daiko, to stop the chaos that its members were spreading throughout the galaxy. Some of their songs included standards like Matsuri, Yaraiya, and Narushima as well as original pieces that were made by the students. Alex Roginski ’26 performed a piece called ‘Hoshi no Inochi’, meaning ‘Life of a Star’, an impressive showcase of percussion that was full of passion, hard work, and raw talent. The show concluded with the workshop’s victory against Zakuro-Daiko, restoring peace and harmony across the universe.

The ensemble was full of devoted students who love performing their music and spending time with the other members of the group. Roginski stated that they “love getting to experiment with music and getting to be more creative. Other ensembles will do lots of classic pop songs or famous jazz songs, but in Taiko we get to make whatever we want and come up with our own pieces.” The creative freedom that the Zakuro Daiko group gives to the musicians involved is treasured and an important part of their Union experiences.

Various students agree that without the Music department, their time at Union would not have been as memorable. Another member of the Zakuro-Daiko group, Sam Granger ’26 shared, “music is something that every person on earth can find comfort and enjoyment in. I think Union in particular has fostered such a strong Music Department, even with relatively minimal support going to it.”

The Halloween concert put on by Union’s Japanese Drumming Workshop and Zakuro Daiko added to the Halloween festivities on campus and was an incredible way to celebrate music and culture on campus. Other major events from Union College’s Music and Theater Departments this term include the Early Music Ensemble Concert on Sunday, November 9 and Union’s fall production of Pippin that runs from Wednesday, November 5 through Sunday, November 9. Students are encouraged to attend these events and support their peers as they celebrate their creative sides.