Archive for October, 2009

CITY PAPER : AGENDA . Playing Dead. Don’t know what to do this Halloween? Why don’t you start with zombie hunting? by Lauren Seibert and Holly Otterbein

Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Nosferatu Screening With Live Organ Music

Throbbing through a darkly lit room, the live organ music of T. Desiree Hines texturizes the experience of watching a silent film and sets the mood for a more old-school Halloween. She’ll both improvise and draw from classical pieces during her accompaniment of Nosferatu, with reverberating notes enhancing the chill of one of the earliest films in the horror genre. “Before all the other Dracula movies,” says Hines, “there was Nosferatu.” Fri., Oct. 30, 7 and 11 p.m., $5-$10, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 800-595-4849, traversetheater.tix.com.

Posted in Film, Music, Pipe Organ | 106 Comments »

Desiree Hines Accompanies Nosferatu with Live Pipe Organ Music

Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Desiree Hines Accompanies Nosferatu with Live Pipe Organ Music

Traverse Arts Project announces its second annual Nosferatu Screening, featuring African American Woman Organist T. Desiree Hines.  Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Festivale: The 2nd Annual Philadelphia International GLBT Arts Festival.

T. Desiree Hines is most familiar to Philadelphia from several articles and stories written about her life as an African-American Transsexual woman who is an accomplished Classical Organist.  Among her achievements is being the soloist at the 2008 Summer Solstice Celebration on the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. She was also the subject for the extensive May 28, 2009 cover story of Philadelphia’s City Paper , “She’s On a Mission”, written by City Paper Art’s Editor, Carolyn Huckabay. Additionally, her story has been profiled by other Philadelphia-based alternative newsweeklies, including the Philadelphia Gay News and the Philadelphia Weekly for their April 28, 2009 Queer Issue.

“It was such an honor that I never saw coming. So many people still come up to me with wonderful comments” Hines mentioned. “However, the primary reason for my work is to ensure the continuance of the new Philadelphia International GLBT Arts Festival.”  The festival, founded by Hines, premiered May 28-June 1, 2009. She mentioned that they are already looking forward to a larger festival in 2010. She has already expanded the name to make known that people from any country may apply. Additionally, they are in the 2nd phase of making the University of the Arts the home for the 2010 festival, and will welcome a number of GLBT Choirs for next year.

Performances will be held at the historic First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut Street, Tickets for each performance of the Philadelphia GLBT Arts Festival are available by visiting www.traversetheater.tix.com or by calling the box office at (800) 595-4849, and mentioning the 2nd Annual Nosferatu Screening.  Tickets for each regular performance are $10 per person, and $5.00 for students and seniors. More information about the event may be found at www.traversetheater.org/nosferatu.htm

Traverse Arts Project (TAP) is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit arts organization supporting theatrical expression as not only a form of celebration but also as a catalyst for change. TAP seeks opportunities to spark thought, start conversations, and promote cross-cultural and cross-generational dialogue.

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Hallman commissioned to produce new short work for Organ and Silent Film

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Hallman commissioned to produce new short work for Organ and Silent Film

Philadelphia-based composer to prepare a set of short pieces used to accompany

Silent Horror Classic. World premier set for October 30, 2009, during Nosferatu screening

Traverse Arts Project announced on Friday October 23, 2009 that Philadelphia-based composer Joseph Hallman will be preparing a set of short pieces for Organ and Silent Film.

The Petite Symphonie Macabre will be premiered on Friday October 30, 2009 at the 2nd Annual Nosferatu Screening Benefit produced by Traverse Arts Project. T. Desiree Hines, Executive Director of Festivals and Resident Organist for TAP will perform the new work, along with other pieces of Organ music commonly associated with the instrument.

The work will consist of five fragments based on popular pieces of Organ music, and close with a fughetta based on themes found in the Fugue from the monumental Sonata on the 94th Psalm by German Romantic Composer Julius Reubke. The work will be used during the screening of the 1922 Silent Horror Movie Classic Nosferatu, by F.W. Murnau. The piece will also leave room for Hines to extend each movement with her own improvisations. The film will be played without sound, and Hines will provide an accompaniment from the Organ.

“Joe and I met about 6 weeks ago while volunteering at an event held by GLBT community leaders. We quickly became colleagues, and are looking forward to more work together” mentioned Hines. When talking with Hallman, Hines had an idea to commission a set of pieces that would add a fresh perspective to the classic movie.

Hallman is no stranger to Philadelphia. A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, he has received commissions from members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. In February 2008, his Divine Discontent, a concertino for English horn was premiered in February 2008, by Philadelphia Orchestra English Hornist Elizabeth Starr-Masoudna on the Philadelphia Orchestra Chamber Series.

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