An introduction
by Composers Institute executive director Randall Davidson
by Composers Institute executive director Randall Davidson

My career, my music and my life would be so much less exciting if I had never had the honor of working with the impresario, conductor, and VocalEssence's founding Artistic Director, Philip Brunelle.
It is almost impossible for me to frame his legacy because it is so expansive. His accomplishments, vision, generosity, and energetic contributions to dozens (and dozens) of arts organization, businesses, governments, and community organizations is too broad to calculate at this early date. He continues to make big things happen with ease. Nothing seems to stop him. I would encourage you to Google his name and set aside an hour or two to catch up on your internet reading.
Randall Davidson, composer
Philip (aka PB) participated in a colloquia on improvising music to visual media. He recounted just some of the films he accompanied and what compositional approaches he has used to improvise scores. For example, he has used a list of scenes when he stepped in as the last-minute stand-in for an accompanist who fell ill to accompany Abel Gance's epic six-hour silent film, Napoleon.
It is almost impossible for me to frame his legacy because it is so expansive. His accomplishments, vision, generosity, and energetic contributions to dozens (and dozens) of arts organization, businesses, governments, and community organizations is too broad to calculate at this early date. He continues to make big things happen with ease. Nothing seems to stop him. I would encourage you to Google his name and set aside an hour or two to catch up on your internet reading.
Randall Davidson, composer
Philip (aka PB) participated in a colloquia on improvising music to visual media. He recounted just some of the films he accompanied and what compositional approaches he has used to improvise scores. For example, he has used a list of scenes when he stepped in as the last-minute stand-in for an accompanist who fell ill to accompany Abel Gance's epic six-hour silent film, Napoleon.
Of the two films we have chosen for him to accompany, he will select one that he will screen, first, without accompaniment while commenting on his plan and then will accompany an improvisation that will demonstrate his approach.
The two films:
Georges Méliês Trip to the Moon (1902) is among the most-renowned films by French actor, illusionist and the world's first film director, Georges Mélîes. Trip to the Moon took inspiration from Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon among many more. It continues to astonish and entertain audiences to this day. Philip can choose to accompany the entire film.
The other silent film is featuring the great actor Charlie Chaplin in Easy Street (1917).
The two films:
Georges Méliês Trip to the Moon (1902) is among the most-renowned films by French actor, illusionist and the world's first film director, Georges Mélîes. Trip to the Moon took inspiration from Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon among many more. It continues to astonish and entertain audiences to this day. Philip can choose to accompany the entire film.
The other silent film is featuring the great actor Charlie Chaplin in Easy Street (1917).
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Philip Brunelle's colloquia on improvising music for visual media took place during Composers Institute's Film & Game Music Studio on Monday, July 18th, 2022.