Give Now  »

Noon Edition

Silent Film Accompanist Dennis James

I created my own degree program: I majored in organ and minored in business, and then film studies-which were at that very moment emerging. The first academic film studies program was here in Indiana. So I just sort of fell into what turned out to be exactly what I needed.


Dennis James is an internationally renowned silent film accompanist who has played a pivotal role in the revival of the silents presented with live music.

Since 1971 he has performed live accompaniments for silent films, with piano, theater organ, chamber ensemble and full symphony orchestras on the worldwide film festival circuit.

An IU music school alumnus, James recently revived an annual IU Auditorium tradition that he started when he lived in Bloomington nearly forty years ago: playing organ during silent movies at Halloween.

Music Heard On This Episode

Loading...
Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From

About Profiles