Silent Movies Live

Pianist David Selfe and percussionist Jeremy Fitzsimons add live musical accompaniment to two silent Charlie Chaplin films selected from: The Pawn Shop (1916), A Dog’s Life (1918), and The Kid (1921).    In the place of synchronised recorded music, the musical duo use authentic original composition, improvisation, and an array of sound effects to capture the comedy, pathos, and heart of these classic films.   

Artist biographies 

Having travelled the world playing the piano and bringing people together with music, David Selfe is still sharing what he loves.     He started playing at the age of seven and by twelve had his own band playing gigs and concerts for all ages. He gained a scholarship to The Purcell School in London and graduated to the Royal Academy of Music in London where he gained an L.R.A.M. & Prof. Cert.    Living as a keyboard nocturnalist in West End Shows, he was well known for keeping the show together for both cabaret and production. To learn more about David’s work, visit www.davidselfe.com.    Jeremy Fitzsimons is a freelance percussionist based in Thames. He was principal percussionist of Orchestra Wellington, plays regularly with the NZSO, is percussionist with the Pink Floyd Experience, and has been freelancing in Wellington since 1993.     He has recorded CDs of marimba and percussion music by Gareth Farr and John Psathas, toured as marimbist with many groups for Chamber Music New Zealand, and was a founding member of Strike Percussion and Gareth Farr’s Drumdrag. Prominent projects include being soloist with Orchestra Wellington for the Psathas concerto View From Olympus in 2020, guest soloist at a marimba festival in Portugal, ensemble soloist with the APO, member of Double Shot marimba and percussion duo since 2015, and he performs in Silent Movies Live (old silent movies with original music with pianist David Selfe).