MusicTreks.org features new original cinematic and orchestral compositions scored for films from our adventures in 45+ countries across the globe.
On our journeys we explore the great expanse of our world; we encounter the breadth and depth of unique human experience; and we discover the amazing beauty to be found in faraway places.
We've returned from our travels with hundreds of hours of video and thousands of pictures – and the inspiration to compose “neo-classical” music for large orchestra
and chorus. The music reflects much of what we’ve seen and heard in foreign and fabulous destinations. My wife, M.M. Ray, is a skilled pho-
tographer, and my work in videography goes back to the 1980s, when I shot documentaries in the U.S., Africa, and Latin America for non-profit organizations. As a musician, my early training was in classical music and jazz.
The Big Sur Fantasy for Orchestra was inspired by the natural beauty of California's Big Sur, surely one of the most enchanting destinations in the world.
Each time we visit Big Sur, we reexperience a sense of awe and reverence for this magnificent coast. Every bend of the 100-mile coastal road brings new revelations.
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Symphonic Capri We visited Capri in the spring, and were enchanted by the ethereal beauty of this Mediterranean paradise. From the tranquil harbor of Marina Piccola to the magical, other-worldly Blue Grotto, from the designer shops on busy Via Camerelle to the heights of Monte Solaro, the island of Capri has delighted visitors for thousands of years.
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The Queen's Kingdom was written to commemorate the extraordinary life and 70-year reign of Elizabeth II, and celebrates the kingdom of which she was sovereign. The music is scored for bagpipes and orchestra, and the video was shot on location in England, Scotland and Wales.
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When we visited Xīhú at Hangzhou in China’s Zhejiang Province, we were struck by its astounding beauty and tranquility. The Xīhú Suite (pronounced she-hoo) is a contemplative musical tour of the lake and its surroundings, which are so evocative of serenity and mysticism. The Suite features traditional Chinese instruments accompanied by a Western symphony orchestra..
The Polynesian Suite was filmed in French Polynesia, a place of astounding and unforgettable beauty. This piece includes four movements inspired by our visits to Bora Bora, Huahine, Moorea, and the island of Tahiti. The Polynesian Suite is scored for symphony orchestra and women's chorus.
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Notre Dame Before the Fire We finished filming this video shortly before the fire that devastated Notre Dame in Paris on April 15, 2019. The morning after the fire, I sat down to compose an orchestral soundtrack inspired by Notre Dame’s grandeur and quiet serenity, her 2000-year history, and her enduring place in the hearts of men and women the world over.
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Atlantic Beachscape: Elegy for Strings is a musical idyll, set on a sub-tropical beach.
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Amiens Cathedral: Fantasy for Organ & Orchestra is a brief musical tour of the 13th-century gothic cathedral at Amiens in northern France.
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The Requiem Mass features choruses of men, women and boys, symphony orchestra, and soloists. Each movement of the Requiem includes a video tour of one of the world’s great cathedrals, filmed for this production on location in 9 countries.
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Venice in Winter is a musical tour of Venice featuring original orchestral and choral compositions. The music and videos reflect the history and magnificent sights of the “City of Canals.”
The great medieval cathedrals of Europe are among the world’s oldest and most magnificent buildings. Nowhere else can we experience the artistry and ethos of the Middle Ages so vividly. Nowhere else can we come face-to-face with the skill and imagination of ancient architects, stone masons, sculptors, and stained-glass artists and craftsmen.
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The grandeur of Scotland’s mountains and glens and the beauty of her lakes and coastline always inspire wonder and awe. And the haunting skirl of the bagpipes perfectly captures the history and traditions of this ancient land. The four Scottish Idylls are scored for pipes and drums, Celtic whistle, and symphony orchestra.
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St. Vitus, Prague: A Beacon in the Darkness After we finished filming this program in the Czech Republic, for the soundtrack I composed an orchestral hymn celebrating the courage and tenacity of the Czech people. For 40 years (1949 to 1989) Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) suffered under the brutality of Soviet totalitarian rule. Through those bleak years, the Cathedral was a symbol of hope and a reminder of the nation’s thousand-year history.
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