November 17 – Wesleyan University, Middletown CT — Performed my score for Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. at the dedication/naming of the Goldsmith Family Cinema. The cinema is part of the university’s new film building, and I’d played for Safety Last there in January. I’d been invited to perform for the evening by the department chair, Jeanine Basinger (author of “Silent Stars” et al). Played the Miditzer, as I’d done before. 
Set-up was a snap as usual, and the sound was tremendous. I’d forgotten how good the sound system there was; in January the show was my maiden voyage with the Miditzer and so I was probably too absorbed with possible MIDI and Windows issues to take in the sound system. It was the first exposure to silent film with theatre organ accompaniment to most of the audience, made up of students, members or heads of the board of trustees, and people from the community. The photo (taken with my phone…) shows my set-up, with keyboard, pedals and MacBook pro near the theater’s “smart podium” (where the stereo audio-in was).
The day before and the day after I played at Grace Church…Thursday at Grace Church in Jersey City and Sat at Grace Church in White Plains. NJ was DVD projection of Langdon’s The Strong Man, and White Plains (for their Downtown Music series) was 16mm projection by Bruce Lawton, who programmed and introduced four Roach shorts: The Finishing Touch, Pass the Gravy, Limousine Love, and Saturday’s Lesson. The odd thing about this show, as was the case when Bruce and I did King of Kings there in March, was that Bruce was set up in the organ loft, right behind me. It’s the only time I’ve played a show…from the booth. Since I was facing away from the screen I used my wireless video baby monitor set-up.
Am now finishing up revisions on my orchestral score for Chaplin’s The Adventurer to send off to the Boise Philharmonic; their youth symphony will perform it in Feb ’07. Also have a few scores to record for a new Kino DVD set.
Shows coming up: “The Immigrant” and “The Crowd” (twice each) for AMMI education groups, the Silent Clowns “Keaton Stunts” show. More things for 2007 being booked each week, so stay tuned…