Harrowing Sounds of Horror

Setting the scene is everything when it comes to horror movies, a staple of the Halloween season. From the throbbing strings in the shower scene of Hitchcock’s Psycho to the intensifying crescendo of the Jaws theme to more recent examples such as Stranger Things music has played a paramount role in establishing a sense of dread.

In The Harrowing Sounds of Horror: Thrills and Chills in Television and Film, set for October 21st at 6PM, musicologist and music theorist Dr. Gil Harel will discuss the musical ingredients—timbre, tone color, harmony, dissonance and other special effects—that make music effective at conveying horror. Indeed, a film’s musical score is one of the most effective tools a film director has to terrify the audience.

In addition to the above-mentioned movies, he will discuss iconic scenes from other films including The Omen, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Scream and more.

Dr. Harel, whose interests include western classical repertoire to jazz and musical theater, previously served on the faculty at CUNY Baruch College where he was awarded the prestigious Presidential Excellence Award for Distinguished Teaching.

He has also taught at the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China and is currently an Associate Professor of Music at Naugatuck Valley Community College where he teaches music history and theory and serves as musical director of theater productions.

Please visit the link below to register to be emailed the Zoom link.