Meet the Organist

As one of the youngest in a rare art form, Brett Miller is an active organist, conductor and arranger who specializes in the art of silent film accompaniment. As an award-winning organist, he has continued his academic involvement and advocacy for the education and preservation of silent films through performing “live to picture.” In 2021, he was appointed music director of the Empire Film and Media Ensemble, a non-profit based in Rochester, New York, that advocates for the education, performance and production of film music. He was recently appointed artistic director of the organization. Brett shares a close relationship between the ensemble and the Beal Institute of Film Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music. Brett is currently working toward a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester.

About the Film

Laurel and Hardy are two Christmas tree sales reps who get into their usual mutual fights with a homeowner. These early silent films of Laurel and Hardy represent the formative years during which Stan Laurel first developed and honed all the gags and set pieces that this legendary comedy team would use during its entire film history.