Silent movie! No sound? No problem

They don't make movies like they used to. Ethan Uslan, however, wants audience members to watch them like they used to.

A classical pianist with a degree from Indiana University, Uslan has carved a niche accompanying silent films at local venues.

On Saturday, Jan. 30, he'll bring his act to St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Davidson for a screening of Buster Keaton's 1926 masterpiece, "The General." The show starts at 7 p.m. And yes, there will be free popcorn.

"I've always liked Ragtime and jazz from the 1920s and '30s," said Uslan, though he didn't decide to try playing live piano music alongside silent classics until 2006.

Uslan, 30, approached Sam Shapiro, manager of Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County Main Library's Movies and Music room who also programs an annual film series at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center, and suggested they collaborate on Keaton's 1923 comedy, "Our Hospitality."

Shapiro admits to being skeptical.

"I was nervous," he said about agreeing to let an unproven piano player perform live at a library-sponsored event.

"I really wasn't sure whether there was an audience for silent films," Shapiro continued. "I had shown them (in the past) and had drawn respectable audiences. But I realized that the Wachovia Playhouse at ImaginOn lends itself to live performance so I thought, 'Let's give it a shot.'"

It worked. Shapiro describes his ongoing collaboration with Uslan - which totals more than 10 films over the past three years - "a terrific success." Audience size also has increased over time. "The theater (at ImaginOn) holds 250 people," Shapiro said, "and I've easily topped 200 people for some of these silent films."

Shapiro credits Uslan's ability to find period-specific, historically accurate compositions that match the film he's accompanying.

The pianist said he tries to capture, through music, the emotions on the screen. His silent-film repertoire includes recognizable tracks like "Camptown Races" and "Oh! Susanna," but also finds room for obscure period pieces like Thomas Moore's patriotic song, "The Minstrel Boy."

"Whenever I hear music on a classical music station, or I play some music from my collection, I'll think, 'Oh, that would be perfect for that scene.' It's always there in the back of my mind," Uslan said. "Buster Keaton movies, and in particular 'The General,' are great for a silent film accompanist because they've got a little bit of everything. There's action, a little romance and a lot of comedy. That enables me to play a lot of different types of music, which keeps it interesting."

Silent films aren't Uslan's main source of income. He pays his bills by performing weekly programs for an age-appropriate audience.

"I realized that this music connects with seniors. A lot of these songs bring back memories," Uslan said.

So three years ago, he began cold calling local nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and retirement communities pitching his services as a Ragtime piano player. He now has a stable of clients who host him regularly.

"I love it. I would never have imagined growing up that this would be my job, but it's really rewarding," he said.

All of this practice helps Uslan stay in shape for his annual appearance at the World Championship Old Time Piano Playing Contest in Peoria, Ill. He has attended the competition every year since 2004.

"People like myself, who love Ragtime and early jazz piano, converge on a hotel and play piano all day and all night," he said. "The main event is a contest. They have judges, and, at the end of three rounds, they come out with a winner."

Uslan triumphed once, in 2007.

The next two years, he was trumped by a talented teenage competitor.

"He's good," Uslan said with a laugh. "But I can get my trophy back (this May). And the pressure's going to be on, big time, because the rule says if you win three times in a row, you are forced to retire. So if I don't win, and this kid wins, he's going to retire on me as the reigning champ. And I can't let that happen."

After each screening, the pianist hears several stories from patrons whose parents or grandparents once played live piano alongside a silent film.

Shapiro has heard audience members compliment Uslan's endurance at the piano.

"It is kind of exhausting," Uslan admits. "It's the piano equivalent of running a marathon."

But mostly, people just come to see Uslan.

"He has become such a name now. I think that people come for the silent films themselves, but when they see his name attached, there's an instant attraction," Shapiro said. "He has become a star."