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THE SOUNDS OF THE SILENT ERA

Guest performer Nicholas White prepares his sound-effects instruments for one of the most unusual programs at the 2026 Los Angeles Silent Film Festival: Randy Haberkamp's Beyond Silence: Sound Effects, Animation and 3D in the Silent Era.

Silent movies were never necessarily silent. During the silent era, theaters could supplement live music with elaborate sound effects, produced by ingenious mechanical devices designed to create everything from bells and whistles to crashes, storms and other sounds synchronized with the action on screen.

For Beyond Silence, Nicholas brought that tradition back to life, performing sound effects live on authentic 1920s devices for a program of animated and other short films featuring Felix the Cat, Koko the Clown and more, with LASFF Musical Director Cliff Retallick at the piano.

The afternoon also featured Eric Kurland's remarkable presentation of silent-era 3D images, giving audiences a chance to experience several different ways in which artists and exhibitors were already experimenting with sight and sound a century ago.

It was one of those festival experiences that simply can't be recreated at home.

Photo: Iain Kennedy / Los Angeles Silent Film Festival

#NicholasWhite #LosAngelesSilentFilmFestival #EricKurland #3DSpace #CliffRetallick @nicholaswhite

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When the show is over, but nobody wants to leave.

One of the most gratifying moments of the Los Angeles Silent Film Festival came after Beyond Silence: Sound Effects, Animation and 3D in the Silent Era, when guest performer Nicholas White found himself surrounded by audience members eager to talk with him about what they had just experienced.

Nicholas brought a fascinating piece of silent-film exhibition history back to life, performing sound effects on authentic 1920s devices while LASFF Musical Director Cliff Retallick accompanied the films on piano. With whistles, bells, noisemakers and ingenious mechanical contraptions at his disposal, Nicholas demonstrated just how lively a night at the movies could be during the silent era.

The program also featured Eric Kurland's presentation of remarkable silent-era 3D images and animated films featuring Felix the Cat and Koko the Clown, making Beyond Silence one of the most unusual programs of the weekend.

Thanks, Nicholas, for giving our audience such a memorable afternoon and for sharing your knowledge, enthusiasm and wonderful collection of historic sound-effects equipment with us.

Don't miss out on future Los Angeles Silent Film Festival events! See link in bio to join our email list!

📷 Photo: American Cinematheque

#LosAngelesSilentFilmFestival #NicholasWhite #CliffRetallick #BeyondSilence #AmericanCinematheque

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Hope you’re having a fantastic holiday season! As a small break from the oboe, here’s an arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy — performed by Percussionist Nick White and Pianist/ IMSLP Head of Media Natalie Nedvetsky! 🎅

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Being featured in one of Scorcese’s movies, the history of percussion instruments, how to add sound effects to silent film, a xylophone lesson, and some short performances. All of this and MORE can be seen in episode 6 of Practice Room Breaks, featuring Nick White! Link in bio.

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Part 1 of exploring the LARGEST collection of historical percussion instruments in the WORLD! Played and owned by Nick White (@tiny.xylophone), the Xylophone King of Chicago 👑! 🥁

Thank you to @tristan.violin for filming and (later on) participating!

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Here’s IMSLP’s official “submission” for #IFoundItOnIMSLP! @tiny.xylophone and @natalienvn with an arrangement you may have never heard before!

Piece: Hungarian Dance No. 5
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Arranger: John B. Quick (xylophonist)

Deadline is 4/18 (extended 1 week from the original date), get your videos in!

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Live sound effects by @tiny.xylophone and @natalienvn!! What’s your favorite instrument they used? 🚒🛎️

You’ll be seeing a lot of Nick on IMSLP this month - from a Brahms Hungarian dance arranged for xylophone, to him doing sound effects for a Scorsese film, to the largest collection of sound effects instruments in the world, and more! Stay tuned! 🥁📣

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Rat Slam at Rathole Music Feet was a whole thing. Big thank you to all my performers. Rat Queen shoutout, along with all my poets and storytellers and the beat boxer and the unhinged clown troupe. I appreciate you all. Thank you @chicagoalleykat , @sea.riffs , @9gabby1 , @ryguydoyle , @saoirsesine , @widdlewomen, and @bonniefoxgloveburlesque . I know I’m forgetting some of you but thank you!!

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Stand By Me - Ben E. King. 🎙

Hello there, Friendos.✨️ This tune is one of my favorite songs.🎙It represents no matter what happens in life, as long as you have people who love you 💕 and support you, you will get through this night. 🌙 I hope you enjoy this melody. 🎶

#marimba #percussion #music #vibraphone #percussionist #drums #marchingband #xylophone #mallets #band #dci #snare #drumline #frontensemble #trumpet #musician #timpani #vibes #trombone #clarinet #tuba #drummer #flute #snaredrum #wgi #daysofpractice #drumcorps #mellophone #euphonium #drum

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#seaworldyasislandabudhabi : beautiful #tune produced out of nowhere...

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Art therapy! #cancersurvivor #xylophone #music #instrument #instagram #foryoupage #thankful #fyp #instagram #fun #trending #noon #wow #talent #food #trending #noon #wow #talent #food #beauty #art #funny #relatable #disabled #disabilitytiktok #song #hotcrossbunschallenge

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