Gail Ridenour, executive director of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, and Susie Purves, executive director of Pickford Film Center, have collaborated for several years to present music-and-film experiences that enlighten local audiences in unique ways.
In 2024, the Pickford began its partnership with the BSO with a screening of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and this past season, the Pickford brought Chevalier to the screen after the symphony performed the famed composer’s Violin Concerto as part of its “Rising Up” concert.
On Friday, August 22, the BSO and Pickford will close off Bay Street to traffic (right in front of the Pickford!) for a free, family-friendly event, Sunset Flicks, that celebrates live music and classic cinema.
Purves says she and Ridenour have talked about doing something like this since before the pandemic.
“It makes sense,” she says, “since film and live music were joined at the hip in the early 20th century.”
Sunset Flicks will launch the BSO’s year-long celebration as it marks 50 years of making music in Whatcom County.
The selection of shorts, made between 1902 and 1923, was curated by Spencer Sundell of The Sprocket Society, based in Seattle, all from the silent era and filled with comedy, action, and pre-CGI special effects.
They are Felix Revolts from 1923; Buster Keaton’s 1920 film One Week; Suspense from 1913 directed by Lois Weber; The Hazards of Helen, from the 1914–1917 series directed by Helen Holmes; and Georges Méliès’ iconic 1902 film A Trip to the Moon.
But wait! There won’t be silence!
Since silent film scores traditionally involve organ, piano, or orchestra playing sheet music or improvising, an ensemble of BSO musicians will accompany each film.
Festivities begin at 7:30 p.m. and the films kick off at sunset.
One thing that stood out to Ridenour from music history was learning that Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich played piano for silent films early in his career.
“We wanted to stay true to the roots of music in silent films as we approached this project,” she says.
Three groups of musicians will perform with the films. Principal pianist Andrea Rackl will play piano and improvise for Felix Revolts and Suspense. A Trip to the Moon will be accompanied by a woodwind quintet — Debbie Arthur on flute, Ridenour on oboe, David Bissell on clarinet, Phillip Thomas on bassoon, and Brad Bigelow on horn — with an arrangement made by WindSync.
For Buster Keaton’s One Week and Hazards of Helen Escape in the Fast Freight, the symphony worked with composer and jazz musician Kevin Woods, director of jazz studies at Western Washington University (and Ridenour’s husband).
Woods composed music for a string quartet plus bass, harp, and percussion, which will be played by Dawn Posey and Yuko Watanabe on violin, Morgan Schwab on viola, Samantha Sinai on cello, Mark Tomko on bass, Jill Whitman on harp, and Kay Reilly on percussion; all are principal musicians with the BSO.
Ridenour says Woods “taps into his jazz roots and really goes for it with this music, creating sound effects that range from trains to bird whistles.”
Purves and Sundell have known each other for decades through their involvement in the regional film industry, and Purves likes what the Sprocket Society does to keep film history alive and fun.
“Now that the Pickford has a new commitment to physical media through our acquisition of the Film Is Truth library,” she says, “it makes even more sense to connect with the greater community that has similar aims.”
Sundell proposed the event to be a mix of different genres rather than, say, just all comedies; this makes for a great opportunity to show a range of silent movies that folks may not normally see.
Gail and Susie liked that idea, so Sundell made a list of potential films. Over several weeks, the group discussed them, looked at clips, refined the suggestions and so on, until the final selections were agreed upon.
Ridenour says it was fun to work with Sundell on the film selections because of his depth of knowledge of the repertoire; she liked viewing his suggestions and thinking about how music would go with them.
“Our hope is that families will attend,” says Ridenour, “and to create an entertaining and fun evening out in downtown Bellingham.”
There will be a raffle (with prizes), as well as food and drink options for purchase.
Sundell says there’s something truly special and powerful about experiencing movies as part of an audience.
“There can be a connecting charge flowing through the crowd that amplifies the experience in the best way,” he says. “Comedy is funnier, drama more impactful, amazement even more full of wonder. Something about the night air and the stars above, it just transforms watching movies into something extra magical.”
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