Music Dialogue

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Conversations with leading composers and music professionals in the film and television industry. Hear the stories behind iconic film and tv score and theme songs from the composers who wrote them.

Nicholas Johnson


    • Apr 3, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 34m AVG DURATION
    • 23 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Music Dialogue

    Creating the Folgers Jingle, “The Best Part of Wakin’ Up”

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2021 26:58


    In this episode, composer and jingle writer Leslie Pearl tells the story of how she created the Folgers jingle, “The Best Part of Waking Up”. She’s written and composed songs for billboard chart recording artists as well as jingles for companies like Pepsi, Ford, Gillette and Heineken just to name a few.

    The Music of 28 Days Later & Sunshine - Composer John Murphy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2021 50:23


    In this episode, composer John Murphy recounts how an evening at a pub with a friend turned into his first job as composer on a film which led him into a career working with directors like Danny Boyle, Guy Ritchie and Michael Mann. He also tells the story behind his iconic pieces of film music from 28 Days Later and Sunshine (In The House In a Heartbeat & Adagio In D Minor) that has gone on to be licensed countless times for movies, trailers and advertisements.

    Creating the Frasier Theme - Composer Bruce Miller

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2021 38:45


    In this episode, Emmy-nominated composer Bruce Miller tells the story behind composing the Frasier theme, Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs. He also talks about his extensive work as an arranger and composing the music for shows like Wings, Becker and The Odd Couple on CBS.

    The Music of Nurse Jackie & Firefly Lane - Composers Wendy & Lisa

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2021 33:12


    In this episode, Emmy Award-winning composers Wendy & Lisa tell the story about how they landed their first film as composers on the 1995 movie Dangerous Minds. They also talk about their work on Heroes, Nurse Jackie and the new series Firefly Lane on Netflix.

    Creating the Salute Your Shorts Theme - Composer Ed Alton

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2021 32:36


    In this episode, I speak with composer Ed Alton. Ed tells the story of how a phone call from a friend turned into his first job as composer on a series for ABC that ran for 5 seasons. Ed also recounts his experience writing the theme for the hit Nickelodeon show Salute Your Shorts and his time on the TBS show My Boys.

    The Music of Grey’s Anatomy & Ally McBeal - Composer Danny Lux

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2021 31:20


    In this episode, I speak with composer Danny Lux. Danny talks about how he got his start working with composer Mike Post on shows like Law and Order and Doogie Howser. Danny has gone on to score over 2000 episodes of television working on shows like Ally McBeal, Grey’s Anatomy and many others.

    The Sound of Bram Stoker’s Dracula - Sound Designer Leslie Shatz

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2021 77:44


    In this episode, Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer Leslie Shatz tells the story about how his first job in the film industry at the American Film Institute propelled him into a career that spans multiple decades and hundreds of film credits. In the 1970’s Leslie was hired as the Dialogue Supervisor on Apocalypse Now. He recounts how he met Francis Ford Coppola and how he was moved into a creative Sound Designer role on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Leslie also talks about how editing sound in the analog realm during the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s was much different than it is today with modern systems like Pro Tools.

    The Music of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - Talent Agent & EP Christine Russell

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2021 31:31


    In this episode, Talent Agent, Artist Manager and Executive Producer Christine Russell tells the story of how she turned getting dropped from her record label into an opportunity that would propel her career into managing one of the greatest songwriters of all time, running one of the top composer talent agencies and becoming an Executive Producer on a multiple Tony-winning Broadway show.

    The Music of Napoleon Dynamite - Composer John Swihart

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2021 48:26


    In this episode, I speak with composer John Swihart about how he developed his career as a composer and hear the stories behind the score for Napoleon Dynamite, How I Met Your Mother and his time as a musician in the Blue Man Group.

    The Music of Mad Men & Weeds - TV Music Exec. Russell Ziecker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2021 49:38


    In this episode, I speak with Lionsgate Executive Vice President and Head of TV Music Russell Ziecker on his career and the stories behind the themes for Mad Men, Weeds, Nurse Jackie & more.

    MXDX: The Kit Kat Jingle | Composer Michael A. Levine on his career and composing the "Gimme a Break" Kit Kat jingle

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2018 28:36


    In this episode, I speak with composer Michael A. Levine on his career and the story behind composing the "Gimme a Break" Kit Kat jingle.

    MXDX: Reading Rainbow | Composer Steve Horelick on creating the theme song and score for Reading Rainbow

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2018 19:10


    In this episode, I speak with composer Steve Horelick on his career and creating the theme song and score for one of the most popular children's shows of all time, Reading Rainbow.

    MXDX: Empire, Dietland | Composer Fil Eisler on his career and scoring Empire, Dietland and The Titan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2018 28:12


    In this episode, I speak with composer Fil Eisler on his career and scoring Fox’s Golden Globe-nominated drama Empire, the new series Dietland on AMC and the Netflix sci-fi thriller, The Titan.

    MXDX: Carmen Sandiego | Composers Sean Altman & David Yazbek on their careers and creating the theme for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2018 43:59


    In this episode, I speak with composers Sean Altman & David Yazbek on their careers and creating the theme for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego. Sean also talks about forming the a capella group Rockapella and how he and David helped shape the sound of modern a capella. David briefly discusses the process of writing music for broadway. He won best score at the 2018 Tony Awards for The Band’s Visit.

    MXDX: Ghostwriter on PBS | Composer Peter Wetzler on creating the theme and score for the PBS children’s mystery television series Ghostwriter that aired in the 90s

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2018 14:42


    In this episode, I speak with composer Peter Wetzler on creating the theme and score for the PBS children’s mystery television series Ghostwriter that aired in the 90s. He talks about how the new music technology of the time helped shape the sound of the theme.

    MXDX: Jason Bourne, The Town | Composer David Buckley on his career and scoring Jason Bourne, The Town, The Good Fight and Call of Duty: Ghosts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2018 42:56


    In this episode, I speak with composer David Buckley on his impressive career scoring big action films like Jason Bourne and The Town, as well as hit television shows like The Good Wife and The Good Fight. He tells the story of how he took the opportunity to come to Los Angeles to work alongside celebrated composer Harry Gregson-Williams and helped out on films like Shrek the Third and Gone Baby Gone. David also talks about scoring the video games Call of Duty: Ghosts and Batman: Arkham Knight and how the process differs from film.

    MXDX: Silicon Valley, CSI: Miami | Composer Jeff Cardoni on his career and scoring Silicon Valley, CSI: Miami and Girlboss

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2018 28:03


    In this episode, I speak with composer Jeff Cardoni on his career scoring shows like Silicon Valley, CSI: Miami and Girlboss. He also tells the story of creating the main title theme for Pimp My Ride.

    MXDX: THX Deep Note | James Moorer on his career at Lucasfilm and creating the iconic THX Deep Note audio logo

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2018 25:40


    In this episode, I speak with James Moorer about his career at Lucasfilm, where he created the iconic THX Deep Note audio logo. He discusses the audio technology he built to enhance the sound effects in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as well as how he pioneered state of the art noise reduction techniques on the film Amadeus. As a bonus, at the end I ask James the most important question of 2018 - is it Yanny or Laurel?

    MXDX: Juno, Superstore & Blockers | Composer Mateo Messina on his career and writing the score for Juno, Superstore & Blockers

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2018 37:16


    In this episode, I speak with composer Mateo Messina on his career and scoring the 2007 hit Juno, Superstore on NBC and the recent comedy Blockers starring Leslie Mann and John Cena.

    MXDX: SpongeBob SquarePants Theme | Composer Mark Harrison on composing the theme for SpongeBob SquarePants

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2018 9:56


    In this episode, I speak with composer Mark Harrison about composing the main title theme for SpongeBob SquarePants.

    MXDX: Saved By The Bell | Composers Scott Gale & Rich Eames on creating the music for Saved By The Bell

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2018 15:54


    In this episode, I speak with composers Scott Gale and Rich Eames about creating the main title theme and score for Saved By The Bell.

    MXDX: Seinfeld, Will & Grace | Composer Jonathan Wolff on his career and writing the music for Seinfeld, Will & Grace and Married With Children

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2018 35:27


    In this episode, I speak with composer Jonathan Wolff about his career that spanned 29 years and countless television series. Jonathan tells the stories behind how he created the theme songs for Seinfeld and Will & Grace.

    MXDX: Roseanne & Home Improvement | Composer Dan Foliart on his career and writing the music for Roseanne & Home Improvement

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2018 35:28


    In my first episode I speak with composer Dan Foliart on his impressive career that has spanned over 40 years and countless television shows. Dan tells the stories behind how he created the theme songs for Roseanne & Home Improvement.

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