As a versatile pianist and organist, with an interest in cinema, composition and the ability to improvise in a range of styles, silent film accompaniment has become my passion.
I can bring the magic of a live, silent cinema screening to you. Get in touch for more details.
My first piano lessons began at the age of seven with an elderly piano teacher, who was also the organist of the local church. Generations of students from my village had learnt the piano with her and my new teacher made it ‘absolutely clear’ that I was to be her final pupil before retiring. She was very strict and there were even some tears to begin with. But she also had a mischievous sense of humour which made me laugh. She told me that in her youth, she had started her career by playing in dance bands (where she had to work with some very interesting characters) and playing the organ in cinemas ‘before the talkies ruined it’! Her colourful stories have always stayed with me.
I became an organist myself at the age of twelve. Before setting off each Sunday morning, I would watch repeats of silent films starring Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton & Charlie Chaplin on TV. I also became a fan of the scores of Scott Bradley’s ‘Tom and Jerry’ music at the same time. I loved listening to the jazzy sounding music and attempting to recreate it on the piano – and sometimes on the organ before services!
Fast forward to 2015, when I was asked to accompany a screening of some short, Edwardian silent comedies on the organ at St Giles’ Church in Camberwell. The films had been produced at Gaumont Studios which had once been based in Camberwell – it was amazing to see familiar buildings, parks and landmarks captured in the films. And the comedy creators, the people chasing down a giant roll of carpet down a hill or accidentally breaking things with an oversized plank of wood, didn’t seem that much different to people today, despite the films being the oldest I’d ever seen. I was fascinated and agreed to improvise some music for the screening.
Since then, I’ve been entertaining audiences with comedy shorts as well as feature-length thrillers. I often perform at the Cinema Museum in Kennington which is an amazing venue, brimming with memorabilia. Sometimes, films here are even projected on vintage equipment with original stock. For some screenings, I’ve arranged music for jazz bands, soloists or choral accompaniment. But I’m just as happy performing alone, improvising a live musical soundtrack on the piano or organ, just as the films had when they were first shown.
Whilst the golden age of silent cinema has passed, audience members young and old now enjoy my live performances. The format is very flexible, equipment is minimal and I would love to share the magic of a live, silent cinema screening with you.
Ashley Valentine 