THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE: YAMAHA CLAVINOVA ACCOMPANIES SILENT FILM LEGEND BOB MITCHELL

BUENA PARK, CA (October 11, 2002)—The Silent Movie Theatre in Hollywood, California will celebrate Robert Mitchell’s 90th birthday—the theatre’s resident organist, who played for the silent films over 78 years ago—with a special screening of the 1925 Buster Keaton classic Seven Chances on October 12th at the Downtown Palace Theatre in Los Angeles. Actor Bill Pullman will present a special tribute to the famed theatre organist. Robert Mitchell will perform the piano score during the movie screening LIVE using a CLP955 Baby Grand Clavinova for the historical event, courtesy of Yamaha.

Mitchell, a professional silent movie organist since age 12, played the organ to the films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and other silent screen legends, formed the Bob Mitchell Boys Choir—all the rage of the 1930s and '40s—and enjoyed success with over 100 films that included legendary film stars—Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Cantor, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

Bob Mitchell

The choice to use Yamaha Clavinova 955 digital piano in such a vast and lush setting as the Downtown Palace Theatre was a simple one. First, the Clavinova is equipped with a wide range of new and dramatically improved instrument voices, including harpsichord, vibraphone, choir and bass—perfect for delivering just the right mood for any silent movie moment. Next, the piano features a new speaker system and high power stereo amplifier—with 60W per channel—the amplifier easily delivers the dynamic range of a grand piano. The two 14-cm woofers employ laminated polypropylene cones and are mounted in wood enclosures, while the two 5-cm tweeters are mounted above the keyboard. The result is astonishingly lifelike power that will fill any movie theatre. And finally, all the fine features of the Clavinova are housed in luxurious, softly glowing woodgrain finish cabinet, which creates a styled, classic elegance of a grand piano.

"The Clavinova Bob plays is shaped like a baby grand and looks beautiful," says Charlie Lustman, Silent Movie Theatre proprietor. "Many of the sounds are utilized regularly in our silent shows." Reopened by Lustman in 1999, the cinema has been a favorite hangout for silent movie aficionados, including celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Pullman and Billy Zane. The theatre was originally opened by John and Dorothy Hampton in 1942, who moved from Oklahoma to Hollywood specifically to build and open a silent movie theatre. After the theatre abruptly shut down in 1997, Lustman purchased and restored it, and since, the classic silent films were reborn with a new life—and a new sound.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622-6600; email infostation@yamaha.com; visit www.yamaha.com on the Web or telephone (714) 522-9011.