Philippe Quint Honors Charlie Chaplin’s Hidden Musical Legacy | Live at the Chicago History Museum

Charlie Chaplin never needed words to move the world — his eyes, his gait, that wobbly cane told entire stories. But few realize that the legendary filmmaker also composed the music that made those stories unforgettable.

Now, GRAMMY-nominated violinist Philippe Quint is giving Chaplin’s melodies the spotlight they’ve long deserved.

As part of the Chicago History Museum’s Chamber Music Immersive Series, in collaboration with Magellan Arts, Quint presents Charlie Chaplin’s Smile — a transcendent multimedia performance that dives deep into the comic legend’s secret life as a composer. On Tuesday, November 18, audiences will step into a world where film and music blur, wrapped in the nostalgia of Hollywood’s golden age and Chaplin’s hauntingly beautiful melodies.

Quint performs alongside pianist Jun Cho and actor/singer Chosen Mitchell, weaving together live-to-screen performances with rare footage of Chaplin conducting. Scenes from The Great Dictator and A King in New York flicker in sync with Quint’s violin, creating a hypnotic dialogue between past and present — between the Tramp’s silent humanity and the universal language of music.

“I first uncovered that Chaplin was a prolific composer in 2016,” Quint tells Tom Barnas in a recent conversation. “His music has this disarming simplicity that speaks straight to the heart. It’s almost Mozartian — deceptively simple, yet it reaches the deepest part of your soul.”

The night promises more than nostalgia. It’s a reminder that Chaplin, even without formal musical training, composed works that still pulse with the emotional truth of the human condition — poverty, love, inequality, joy. His melodies, like his comedy, cut straight to what makes us human.

And for Chicago audiences, this performance isn’t just another concert — it’s an experience. A night where the flicker of film and the power of live music collide, inviting listeners to feel every note, every frame, every heartbeat of Chaplin’s timeless genius.

Charlie Chaplin’s Smile with Philippe Quint takes place November 18, followed by A Holiday Special with Vivaldi & Bach on December 16, both at the Chicago History Museum (1601 N. Clark St.). Receptions begin at 6 p.m., performances at 6:30, with post-show gatherings till 8. Tickets are $55 for the public and $35 for members at chicagohistory.org

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