Music Documentaries
Aaron Rosand, Live at Mills
Violinists will appreciate the violinist's eye that producer/director Lauren Speeth brings to bear, working closely with cinematographer Dan Coplan to forever capture a recital program inaugurating a Rosand scholarship fund at the college. The documentary was lauded by critics, including Tim Smith, of The Baltimore Sun, who wrote, "Some of [Rosand's] best recordings are of very recent vintage. A recital filmed in California... featuring remarkably assured and sensitive playing ...delivered with technical aplomb and, above all, exquisitely tasteful, old-world style." It received top honors - a Gold Davey Award - from the International Academy of the Visual Arts, for outstanding creative achievement in the category of Entertainment. Rosand, accompanied at the piano by Robert Koenig, played sonatas by LeClair and Franck, Tschaikovsky's Vales Sentimentale, a Chopin Nocturne, solo Bach, and virtuoso showpieces including: Rachmaninoff's Preghiera, Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen, Moussorgsky's Hopak, a Prokofieff March and a Brahms Hungarian Dance. DVD. 78 minutes. Stereo. Producer/director: Lauren Speeth. Cinematographer: Dan Coplan. Mastering: Stephen Hart. Available for free streaming viewing at Amazon Prime.Aaron Rosand - Violins and Cigars
This music short celebrated the late violin legend Aaron Rosand's 80th birthday. Rosand, the last great violinist of a golden era now gone, was highlighted among grand redwoods, still playing masterfully. Other footage which we filmed – a Heifetz Society master class, a 75th birthday performance at Verizon Hall, and an interview have not yet been released and are stored in the estate's archives.
Tammy Hall – Reflections
Director Lauren Speeth blends Hall's inspired performance with dream-like imagery and sophisticated CGI effects, inviting viewers to escape into a world of visual metaphor inspired and driven by the emotional qualities of the music. Along with standards are Ms. Hall's original works, "Pink Lightning," "Lauren's Step," and "Pour Tania" (an ode to Tania Maria). The documentary was released February 28, 2006 along with Ms. Hall's first CD (Blue Divine – which we also produced). It had its world premiere screening at the Ybor Festival of the Moving Image [April 5-9, 2006 in Tampa] and its West Coast premiere at the Mendocino Film Festival [May 18-May 21, 2006] where Ms. Hall was the headliner performing at the festival's opening gala event. The film had its Southern Premiere at the Ocean Film Festival of the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary [September 23-25, 2006 in Savannah, GA] and its Midwestern Premiere at the Indie Gathering Film Festival [August 4-6 in Cleveland], where it was chosen as Best Jazz Short and was the overall category winner for Best Music Short as well. It was then screened at the Black Earth Film Festival [November 8-12, 2006 in Galesburg, IL] and the Reel Women Film Festival [March 2007, Los Angeles]. It had its European Premiere screening at the Globians fest [August 2006 in [August 20, 2006, Potsdam, where festival programmers described it as "moody jazz-piano transformed & reflected into a cinematic poem..." Its Canadian Premiere was at the Calgary Fringe Film Festival [August 11-20, 2006] where it was screened twice, garnering Best International Documentary Short. It also garnered Summit and Telly awards. Footage aired on Bay Area Focus with Susan Sikora on KBHK/UPN TV, and both the CD and the DVD were selected by KCSM 91.1, a member supported Bay Area jazz radio station, as thank-you gifts for new members during their 2006 pledge drive.
Jeremy Cohen & Friends
The concert film Jeremy Cohen ViolinJazz & Friends Celebrate Joe Venuti, 100 Years was directed by Lauren Speeth, who also recorded additional footage for the artist's archives. It received its world premiere screening at the Globians Film Festival in Potsdam on August 12th, 2005 and won 3rd place at the 2006 JPF Music Awards. Excerpts of the film, now owned and managed by the artist himself, were also featured at the 2005 Tiburon International Film Festival's Gala Opening Celebration and aired on Bay Area Channel 4. It has been under distribution through VAI for many years.