A uniquely captivating experience for audiences of all ages.

In 2022, Justin Firefly Clarke was commissioned by Wellington’s Lōemis midwinter festival to compose three original live soundtracks for iconic silent-era films: Buster Keaton's Scarecrow (1920), Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon (1902), and Lotte Reiniger's Cinderella (1922).

The event showcases a quartet of New Zealand’s top guitarists, performing innovative, intricate scores set against these classic films. The fusing of modern soundscapes with rarely-seen cinematic masterpieces creates an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages, blending artistry and history in a truly unique evening.

The musicians:

Justin Firefly Clarke has a diverse musical background in various kinds of music and is currently a doctoral student of classical composition at Victoria University. He is known as a jazz guitarist and for cross-cultural projects such as Shades of Shakti, while also spearheading collaborations such as Congress of Animals and The Woolshed Sessions. He recently performed with the New Zealand String Quartet and toured with Bret McKenzie's band.

Callum Allardice is a three-time winner of the Apra Best Jazz Composition award and the Best Jazz Music Artist with his band The Jac. His recent albums include ‘Good Winter’ (Rattle Records 2018), ‘A Gathering’, and ‘Walking Spirits’ (Thelonious Records 2020 and 2021). Callum was recently a CNZ jazz Composer-in-Residence and is currently the head of jazz guitar at Victoia University's renowned jazz department.

Aslan Rowland is a jazz guitarist who recently finished their Masters of Music focusing on improvisation. Aslan performs in various projects about Wellington, both solo and with acts like Blues Clues and the jazz group High Society. Aslan is definitely a cat person.

Jake Church is a classically trained guitarist that aims to evoke character in everything he plays. Along with numerous performance accolades, he is a scholar in collaborative practices with a Masters of Musical Arts from Victoria University of Wellington. He enjoys exploring collaborative processes to create new-music and mix-discipline compositions.

Simon Eastwood will be conducting the performance. He received a Masters in composition with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in London before returning to Aotearoa to complete his doctorate at Victoria University. He is currently the Mozart Fellow of Otago University.

Performed live within the stunning setting of the the Chinoiserie Garden.