Rochester-based composer Andrew Alden writes and performs original music for silent film classics such as Lost World and Nosferatu. It all began with Night of the Living Dead, which Andrew scored for nonet in 2012, followed by Nosferatu, which has become one of Andrew's most performed scores. "Film music reaches a wide audience. People really care," says Andrew. "People have a viceral reaction to film." One of the hallmarks of Andrew's work is collaboration and group improvisation. His scores act as a starting point for musicians to improvise and add their own personal touch. "My favorite part of writing for film is working with performers that can make [the music] their own," says Andrew. Performances are never the same twice, and the music is constantly evolving each time it is performed. Members of the Andrew Alden Ensemble have a lot of freedom to contribute their own personal flair, and the music transforms depending on which performers play.
Andrew says he's seen a trend in recent years that performers are contributing more than just what's written on the page. He believes it's part of the modernization of music, that spontaneity and collaboration is where music is heading.
Hear the Andrew Alden Ensemble perform Andrew's newly composed music for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which will be performed at the Little Theater on October 31 (2016) at 7:30pm. NOTE: This event has passed.