the finest group of its kind… impeccably performed.” · and vocal favorites jump back to life...
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“The finest group of its kind...…
impeccably performed.”
— The Syncopated Times
peacherineragtime.com
BioHailed as “the premier American ragtime ensemble,” the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra (PRSO) is rapidly becoming the leading ragtime musical group in the United States. Founded by pianist and scholar Andrew Greene at the University of Maryland in 2010, the PRSO recreates the syncopated stylings of a bygone era – ragtime, theatre, and dance music, as well as accompaniments to classic silent films – all played from an incredible collection of over 15,000 original orchestral scores. The orchestra has been widely praised for their work preserving and performing America’s musical past.
Peacherine has repeatedly appeared at leading venues including the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, the American Film Institute, and at historic theatres, performing arts centers, colleges, and concert associations across the United States. The PRSO’s work has been featured in documentaries, online video, and on radio and podcast programs across the globe. Peacherine records for Rivermont Records, whose recordings have been praised as “first class,” “wonderful, toe tapping fun,” and “the most satisfying ragtime orchestra collections available.”
“Tremendous feeling for the music in these performances… the PRSO has the real sound of the period down pat. Their rags are exquisite… sparkling musicianship.”
—Fanfare
“They are, quite simply, one of the finest ragtime orchestras in the world.”
—Rivermont Records
Concert ProgramsRhapsody In Ragtime: The Music of George GershwinTravel back to the Roaring 1920s and hear George Gershwin’s sparkling instrumental and vocal favorites jump back to life off the original orchestral scores! Peacherine’s instrumentalists, singers, and ragtime pianist perform favorites I’ve Got Rhythm, Someone To Watch Over Me, The Man I Love, Swanee, Lady Be Good, Fascinating Rhythm, and more, culminating in his masterpiece Rhapsody In Blue, played off the original 1924 theater orchestra score. Two hour program with intermission.
The Ragtime MastersAs America enters the 20th century, a new musical style is born: RAGTIME! Join Peacherine and conductor/pianist Andrew Greene as we explore the birth of America’s popular music as performed from their incredible archive of over 15,000 original musical scores. Tap your feet to the syncopated stylings of ragtime, theater, and dance music, featuring the works of Scott Joplin, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, George M. Cohan, and the rest of the Ragtime Masters! Each program is customized, so you’ll never hear the same music twice! Two hour program with intermission.
Elite Syncopations: The Music of Scott JoplinExperience the syncopated musical genius of Scott Joplin, the King of Ragtime Writers! Peacherine and conductor/pianist Andrew Greene bring back to life the music of Scott Joplin as he penned them from the original orchestral scores. Featuring his hits The Entertainer, The Maple Leaf Rag, and music from the Academy Award winning film, The Sting, PRSO pays tribute to the man whose ragtime favorites shaped the beginnings of American popular music, and influenced the decades of music that followed. Two hour program with intermission.
Customized Concert & Film ProgramsUpon request, Peacherine can create a customized concert and film program for your venue! Work with PRSO director Andrew Greene to build a memorable program for your occasion, selecting repertoire from our collection of over 15,000 original scores. Whether you’re looking for a Gatsby party straight from the 1920s, your theater’s birthday/anniversary celebration, a recreation of a historic concert, a special silent movie night, or any theme of your choosing, Peacherine will be there with gusto to bring it to life!
Educational ProgramsPRSO offers condensed versions of our concert and film programs for young audiences in schools. We offer programs for K-5th grade, middle school, and high school. We also offer masterclasses and lectures for colleges and universities. Please reach out to us for more information.
“Plenty of variety, played in a sparkling fashion which positively exudes good spirits.”
— Sounds of Yesteryear
"The PRSO preserves a unique cultural experience.” —The Severna Park Voice
Silent Film Programs with Live Orchestra Audiences of all ages fall in love with silent movies, and nobody underscores them better than Peacherine! With repeated screenings at The Kennedy Center, The Library of Congress, The American Film Institute and others, PRSO performs the way America experienced motion pictures back in the 1910s and 20s. All PRSO film programs are performed using their library of over 1,000 original period film scores, used to authentically recreate the movie-going experience of yesteryear for modern day audiences.
Masters of Silent ComedyOur most popular program! PRSO accompanies classic comedy shorts from the 1910s/20s with the original period orchestral scores! Featuring the films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, and/or Harold Lloyd in this two hour program with intermission.
F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922)Released in 1922, Nosferatu is considered one of the most foreboding and influential horror films in the history of cinema. In this first-ever screen adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, what is supposed to be a simple real estate transaction leads an intrepid young businessman deep into the heart of Transylvania, and the castle of the otherworldly Count Orlok, portrayed by the legendary Max Schreck in a performance which has spawned its own mythology. But is the Count just the wealthy eccentric that he appears to be, or something much more sinister? This 90 minute silent film is accompanied live with PRSO’s hauntingly beautiful score.
Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last (1923)One of the most iconic films of the Roaring 1920s jumps back to life accompanied by Peacherine! When Harold Lloyd hears that a store manager will pay $1000 to anyone who can draw people to his store, he convinces his friend - “the human fly” - to climb the building and split the profit with him. But when his pal gets in trouble with the law, he must complete the crazy stunt on his own! Featuring one of the most iconic images from the silent era, Harold hangs off the clock in this comedy feature spectacular. Two hour program with intermission.
Douglas Fairbanks’ The Mark of Zorro (1920)The first swashbuckling action-adventure film springs back to life with Peacherine’s Spanish-flavored score, straight out of the 1920s! This two hour, 15 minute program with intermission features Douglas Fairbanks thrilling audiences with his swordplay, romance, and comedic antics in this masterfully crafted silent film. Spooky Silents: A Silent Film HalloweenOur signature Halloween program features Hollywood’s ghostly silent films of yesteryear performed live with our historic orchestral scores and sound effects! Featuring the classic comedy of Buster Keaton’s The Haunted House (1921), Laurel & Hardy’s Habeas Corpus (1928) and a Halloween-inspired concert program straight from the ragtime era, this two hour program with intermission is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween - and make sure to bring the kids in costume!
Christmas at the Silent MoviesTouring annually in November and December, Christmas At The Silent Movies features the holiday themed silent films of the early 1900s: Buster Keaton in The Frozen North (1922), Laurel & Hardy in Big Business (1929) and the first-ever film adaptations of A Christmas Carol (1910) and The Night Before Christmas (1905), all accompanied live with their original orchestral scores. Between the films, Director Andrew Greene and Peacherine perform favorite Christmas songs and carols, and even feature a trombone solo parodying the famous Hallelujah Chorus. At the end of the program, the audience joins Peacherine and their musicians for singalongs of holiday classics for a truly unique event that will have your audiences transported back in time.
“Andrew Greene’s Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra was amazing… the richness of sound from the orchestra was unbeatable. It was truly amazing and an experience I’ll not soon forget.”
—Culpeper Star Exponent
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