The grand, gilded Broome County Forum theater hosted “Haunted Hollywood” on Saturday night, welcoming witches, devils and Darth Vader into the venue. The audience was encouraged to dress up, inviting a wide range of costumes into the venue for a night of seasonal scores.

The program included various pieces suited for the spooky season, such as Mel B. Kaufman’s “More Candy” and Russell Smith’s “That Demon Rag.” As the ensemble tuned and warmed up, the sound of audience chatter filled the cavernous space with a buzz of excitement. Attendees arrived early as Nancy Wildoner, the resident organist of the Binghamton Theatre Organ Society, performed a prelude to the concert.

Guest conductor Andrew Greene traveled to Binghamton to perform “Haunted Hollywood,” and entered the stage to thunderous applause. Greene is the conductor, director and founder of the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra. He described the society as being dedicated to the preservation and performance of America’s original music, ragtime.

The program was split into two sections, each beginning with a few ragtime tunes and ending with authentic musical scores that accompanied the silent showing of “Habeas Corpus.” Prior to Saturday’s performance, Greene commented on the aspect of the program he was most anticipating.

“The film ‘Habeas Corpus’ (1928) starring Laurel & Hardy is a film that always gets a laugh, and several of the selections in the score have not been performed by such a large ensemble in many decades,” Greene wrote in an email. “It will be a thrill for this music, which was written for full orchestra, to be heard live in a beautiful historic hall! The other part I’m excited for is to see how the audience responds to the program. Silent films were NEVER meant to be fully silent — and in many ways the audience is part of the program.”

The audience was far from silent as the films played. The first film, Buster Keaton’s “The Haunted House” was a clear audience favorite, garnering both boos and boisterous laughter. The theater was alive with emotion, as the brilliant use of various percussion instruments hilariously mimicked the sounds of footsteps, falls and voices. The film itself was undeniably funny and perfectly suited for the Halloween season, complete with ghouls and trickery.

In an email interview, Paul Cienniwa, the executive director of the Binghamton Philharmonic, explained the orchestra’s mission of “Building Community Through the Power of Live Music”. The community unification was evident throughout Saturday’s performance, as all ages laughed during the silent films and cheered for the ragtime classics. Cienniwa further commented on the audiences’ special experiences with interactive programs.

“’Haunted Hollywood’ is our first Pops Series concert this season, and we intentionally design these programs to be approachable, fun, and engaging for audiences far beyond the traditional classical realm,” Cienniwa wrote in an email. “The absolute highlight of the evening is the rare juxtaposition of hilarious, classic silent films accompanied live by a full symphony orchestra. That energy is unmatched.”

In between each ragtime romp, Greene took a few minutes to share the stories of the composers with the audience, explaining the inspiration behind seasonal pieces, history of vernacular music and origins of ragtime. Greene further shared how “ragging” a piece allows a classical song to become syncopated, changing its rhythm and giving the jaunty feeling associated with the genre. He also shared his personal connection to motion picture music, describing it as a lost world of sounds.

“The music of this era was masterfully written with care and a level of seriousness that is often under appreciated, many of the composers were writing in a romantic era, grand style and their music, names, and stories are often never heard,” Greene wrote. “I first heard this music while I was a teenager and fell in love with it, and began collecting the music.”

Between the hilarious anecdotes from Greene and the excellent performance of the philharmonic orchestra itself, the night was arguably a roaring success. Each piece was played with beautiful precision and pure, impeccable tone. The ensemble moved as one, with each fluid flick of a bow in unison, creating a moving body and personification of music. The strings incorporated techniques like spiccato, where the musicians would bounce their bows on the strings rather than moving them back and forth. This created a halted, stiffer noise that emulated spooky sounds. The mastery of the orchestra is not to be understated, and the audience rightfully erupted into cheers after every piece of the program.

The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra serves as a staple of downtown Binghamton and a shining example of the excellence of live music in the city. Executive director Cienniwa perfectly summarized the role of the ensemble in the community.

“Beyond general audiences, the Binghamton Philharmonic serves as a beacon of musical excellence,” Cienniwa wrote in an email. “By bringing an award-winning professional symphony orchestra right to our backyard, we aim to inspire local students, amateur players, and aspiring professional musicians alike, showing them that world-class art thrives right here in Binghamton.”