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On June 23rd, 2024 the Theatre Organ Society of the Delaware Valley is presenting a special program, The First Fifty Years of Film Music. This virtuoso performance by Ian Fraser will explore themes from the beginnings of silent film and jazz to classic movie musicals and the swing years finishing in the 1950’s with Monsters and Bebop. Join Ian as he discusses each selection on this fascinating and historic journey played on The Colonial Theatre’s beautifully restored 3/24 Mighty Wurlitzer Unit Orchestra; the only instrument capable of delivering all these musical genres and more in a symphonic live performance.
Ian Fraser’s fascination with organs started at the age of two when he heard a band organ on a local carousel in his hometown of Staten Island, NY. His interests soon expanded into the world of mechanical music with player pianos, orchestrions, etc. When he was 16, after seeing a silent film accompanied by Bernie Anderson at Chaminade High School in Mineola, NY in 2017, he got the opportunity to sit at the console and play the theatre organ for the first time. From there, he has followed his passion to become a theatre organist.
Leveraging his ability to play by ear, Ian taught himself in just a few short years to play the theatre organ. This has been influenced by studying his favorite genres and organists. He has performed at John Dickinson High School (DE), Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall (NJ), the Loew’s Jersey Theatre (NJ), the Trenton War Memorial (NJ), the Union County Performing Arts Center (NJ), Babson College (MA), Cleveland Grays Armory Museum (OH), the Capitol Theatre (PA) and The Grand Theater (PA) among others
Ian is the first-place winner of the American Theatre Organ Society’s Young Theatre Organist Competition which was held at the 2023 Chicago Convention.
Now residing in Plainfield, NJ, Ian is the house organist at the Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, NJ performing pre-shows before film screenings and accompanying silent films. He is also the house organist at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island, NY performing pre-shows for their “Better on the Big Screen” classic movie series and “Arts-In-Education” series where he regularly plays for audiences of over 1,500 students in grades K-12 exposing the theatre organ to the next generation.
In addition to being a concert artist and a silent film accompanist, he has developed a new themed live show format blending silent shorts, historical presentation and a mini-concert.
Ian’s other interests are in the restoration of pipe organs and mechanical musical instruments.
He is the Vice President of AMICA’s Lady Liberty Chapter (Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors Association) and a Director of COAA (Carousel Organ Association of America). He is also a member of the NCA (National Carousel Association), GSTOS (Garden State Theatre Organ Society), NYTOS (New York Theatre Organ Society) and ATOS (American Theatre Organ Society).
Items below are for the Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge St, Phoenixville, PA).
Upcoming TOSDV Events for 2024
(Items below are for the Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge St, Phoenixville, PA. Other events at other venues and locations may be added.)
Saturday, 13-Apr-2024, TOSDV Silent film festival, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Sunday, 23-Jun-2024, 2:00 to 4:00 PM, Organ Concert Event
Program - “The First Fifty Years of Film Music”
June 23rd, Open console 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Sunday, 15-Sep-2024, 2:00 to 4:00 PM, Organ and Community Event
Sunday October 27 2:00 to 4:00 PM, Silent Film
November: TOSDV Annual Meeting
Sunday December 8, 2:00 to 4:00 PM, TOSDV Holiday Concert, artist TBA
To provide care for the chapter’s instruments including normal maintenance and pre-event tuning; To offer public presentations of theatre pipe organ music; To invite “hands on’ interaction with the chapter’s organs; To work with various area communities to provide additional musical offerings; To educate the public on the rich traditions of the theatre pipe organ.
The vision of TOSDV is to be the premier organization to preserve the unique sound and appreciation of the theatre pipe organ as an art form to current audiences and introduce it to new generations of all ages in the Delaware Valley.
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission. The Theatre Organ Society of the Delaware Valley, Inc. was incorporated September 7, 1967 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a non-profit, non-stock membership corporation (Entity # 354948). It received its determination from the Internal Revenue Service under Sect. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is registered with the PA Bureau of Charitable Organizations (Reg. # 32434). A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999.
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