Mont Alto

About

Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra

“Let the music do the talking.”

The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra is a five piece chamber ensemble that revives the repertoire of silent film orchestras. Using historic libraries of “photoplay music,” and selecting and fitting a piece of music for each scene in the film, Mont Alto compiles vibrant and emotional scores using the original techniques of silent film orchestras.

“The results are often breathtakingly beautiful and always in the strict service of the film on the screen.” (Dave Kehr, The New York Times.) 

Since 1994, Mont Alto has compiled and performed over 150 silent film scores, performing at venues from the Telluride Film Festival to the Turner Classic Movies Festival. and from New York City to San Francisco. 

Shows

Upcoming live shows! When available, tickets can be purchased through the links. 

Previous events

Date Event Location
Destiny (1921) with the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra Longmont Museum, Longmont, Colorado Longmont Museum, Longmont, Colorado
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Parsons Theater, Northglenn, CO Parsons Theater, Northglenn, CO
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Parsons Theater, Northglenn, CO Parsons Theater, Northglenn, CO
Skinner's Dress Suit (1926) Louisville Center for the Arts, Louisville, Colorado Louisville Center for the Arts, Louisville, Colorado
Beau Geste (1926) Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado
The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926) Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado
Beau Geste (1926) Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Ohio Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Ohio
The Johnstown Flood (1926) Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Ohio Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Ohio
Kid Boots (1926) Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado
The General (1926) Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado
Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra Prescott Film Festival, Prescott AZ Prescott Film Festival, Prescott AZ
 — (CDT, UTC-05)  — (CDT, UTC-05) The General, with the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra World Theatre, Kearney Nebraska, Kearney, NE World Theatre, Kearney Nebraska, Kearney, NE
(CDT, UTC-05) (CDT, UTC-05) Safety Last, with The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra McCook Fox Theater, McCook, NE McCook Fox Theater, McCook, NE
(MDT, UTC-06) (MDT, UTC-06) The General, with The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra Midwest Theatre, Scottsbluff, NE Midwest Theatre, Scottsbluff, NE
(PDT, UTC-07) (PDT, UTC-07) The Crowd Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA
(PDT, UTC-07) (PDT, UTC-07) Bed and Sofa Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA
(PDT, UTC-07) (PDT, UTC-07) The Caveman (1926) Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA
(PDT, UTC-07) (PDT, UTC-07) Miss Lulu Bett Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA
(PDT, UTC-07) (PDT, UTC-07) Lady Windermere's Fan Grauman’s Egyptian Theater, Los Angeles Grauman’s Egyptian Theater, Los Angeles
The Thief of Bagdad Sie Film Center, Denver Sie Film Center, Denver

Latest Track

Here are some tracks from our recent project The Affairs of Anatol, which was released by Artcraft Pictures in 2026. 

Latest News

Mont Alto has been invited to several film festivals this Spring, including the Denver Silent Film Festival, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, and the San Francisco Day of Silents. Watch our schedule section for postings of dates and films.