Filmelodic - A Film with Live Orchestra Trio
13th December 2017
By pairing the universal language of music with the visual language of film, the Filmelodic series strives to open up the world of classical music to a younger and more diverse audience. The films, scores and parts, and a click track are available under license from Schirmer Theatrical (in collaboration with G. Schirmer, Inc.), and a technical rider is available upon request. Quotes are available through Zinfonia, the online music publisher portal. Search by composer, using 'Filmelodic' as the title.
- - Watch the trailer- -
Synopses and Prominent Screenings:
'Last Night's Symphonie', set to movements II and IV of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, focuses on Hector and Harriet, two young New Yorkers. After meeting at a party on a hot summer night, they enjoy a romantic adventure out in the city. But the next morning, a repentant Hector sets out to right his wrongs, embarking on a torturous odyssey through the perilous streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan where musicians are lurking. The film has been screened at the Brooklyn Museum with the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, and the Frederick Loewe Theatre with NYU Community Orchestra, among many film festivals. (Approx. run time 16 minutes. For bookings, request a quote through Zinfonia.)
In 'Sam & Barb's School for Scandal', set to Samuel Barber's Overture to The School for Scandal, two close friends throw a wild party where they end up engaging in a continuous game of one-upmanship and realize that they might be in love with one another. Terrified to admit their feelings, they continue making one another jealous, engaging in more and more harmful behavior until someone gets hurt. The film has been screened at the Lighthouse International Film Festival, Manhattan Film Festival, and Edinburgh Short Film Festival, among other notable festivals. (Approx. run time 10 minutes. For bookings, request a quote through Zinfonia.)
In 'Runaway Overture', set to Richard Wagner's Overture to Tannhäuser, a young artist sets out from her home to find adventure, while an aging painter struggles to let go of his dreams. This film premiered at the Richard Wagner Museum during the 2015 Bayreuth Festival. The film has been screened with live orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Venice Fine Arts Film Festival, Lighthouse International Film Festival, and Frederick Loewe Theatre with NYU Community Orchestra, among many more festivals. (Approx. run time 18 minutes. For bookings, request a quote through Zinfonia.)
The film, which captures the sweeping themes of pilgrimage present in Wagner's Tannhäuser…brought them to tears.
James Bennett, II, WQXR
'La Folia', the fourth and most recent addition to the Filmelodic series, explores pain, loss, joy, and redemption through a visual anthology of twenty-four short stories, conceptualized by a creative team of over twelve people, all inspired by variations on the same ancient melody: La Folia. This film was named the Best Experimental Short of the 2017 Manhattan Film Music Festival and has been screened at numerous festivals including the Choreoscope International Dance Film Festival of Barcelona, the Gasparilla International Film Festival, Lighthouse International Film Festival, and Beacon Independent Film Festival. (Approx. run time 13 minutes. For bookings, contact Filmelodic.)
For a viewer, particularly a viewer who is new to classical music, the collection of many of these personal narratives suggests that there is no wrong way to experience this music.
Ricky O'Bannon, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
At its heart, La Folia is a reminder that, while life isn't perfect, there's a dancer, or an artist, in all of us. And drawing on that can unlock a little magic when we need it most.
Madeline Schrock, Dance Magazine
