Neil Brand at Aberystwyth University

Neil Brand

Neil Brand

28 March 2014

A unique series of events will take place in Aberystwyth this weekend – 28-30 March 2014

Aberystwyth University graduate, Neil Brand is a silent film accompanist, composer of orchestral scores for silent film, an authority on film music, a broadcaster for BBC radio and television, and a playwright.

His television series, the Sound of Cinema: The Music that made the Movies which was broadcast on BBC4 last autumn (www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03b51db).

Neil is acknowledged as the world’s leading authority on, and practitioner of silent film music. He has performed around the globe and has played to outdoor audiences in excess of 5,000 - from the Piazza Maggiore in Bologna to Trafalgar Square. He has composed countless scores for British Film Institute DVD releases.

He was presented as Fellow of Aberystwyth by Professor Robert Meyrick in 2013.

This weekend (28-30 March), Aberystwyth University’s Gregynog Lecture Series and the Institute for Literature, Languages and the Creative Arts are proud to present:

Friday 28th, 6PM, Old College FREE
The Silent Pianist Speaks, a lecture performance by Neil Brand followed by a free drinks reception.

Saturday 29th, 6PM, Arts Centre Theatre FREE
Neil Brand in conversion with Professor Robert Meyrick on his years in Aberystwyth and with Dr Harry Heuser on silent movies, movie music and Alfred Hitchcock.

Saturday 29th, 8PM, Arts Centre Great Hall, £9
Aberystwyth¹s Philomusica orchestra under the baton of Dr David Russell Hulme plays Neil¹s Brand¹s acclaimed score for Alfred Hitchcock¹s 1929 silent classic, Blackmail. The programme begins with music from Lawrence of Arabia, The Sea Hawk, Rebecca, andThe Big Country (http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/classical-music/philomusica-aberystwyth-2).

Sunday 30th, 7PM, Arts Centre Cinema, £7.50

A live performance with Neil Brand at the piano playing to Laurel and Hardy shorts Big Business and The Finishing Touch.  The audience is invited to stay on for a FREE screening of Neil’s BBC TV play, Stan. (http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/film/neil-brand-evening).

Here on YouTube is a short show reel of Neil’s work that was put together to be shown at the 2013 Graduation ceremony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_qtCVEkKA, and Neil’s website: http://www.neilbrand.com

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