Australian Ensemble to Perform Folk/Jazz/Classical Score to THE GENERAL

The acclaimed Australian musical ensemble Viola Dana will make a rare New York appearance to perform violist and composer Kathy Corecig's fresh and delightful new score to Buster Keaton's The General at Museum of the Moving Image. Corecig's country- and bluegrass-infused blend of American folk tunes, Steve Reich-inspired train evocations, and jazz will bring Keaton's great film to life in a performance that will enchant audiences of all ages. The performance takes place on Sunday, April 14, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. Tickets, which are $15 public/$9 Museum members (and free for Silver Screen members and above), include admission to the Museum, with access to the new exhibition Spectacle: The Music Video.

Named after a silent cinema star, Viola Dana is a musical ensemble from Perth, Western Australia. The group consists of violist/composer Kathy Corecig, cellist Tristen Parr, drummer Pete Guazzelli, and Mace Francis. Inspired by classic film scores, the ensemble plays an eclectic mix of styles that evoke "influences ranging from The Dirty Three and Tom Waits through to contemporary classical music composers such as Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt, American folk music and early jazz."

The General is widely regarded as Buster Keaton's masterpiece, a beautifully photographed romantic comedy, set against the Civil War, with Keaton playing a young Southerner waging a one-man war against the hijackers of his beloved locomotive. (directed by Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman. 1927, 77 mins. 35mm) "Keaton's The General is an enduring classic, but Viola Dana's score provides a fresh perspective that will make this an enchanting experience for children of all ages," said David Schwartz, the Museum's Chief Curator.

For more information about the score, and video samples: http://www.violadana.com/the-general

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