Disney, as we know it today, was shaped by the success and legacy of The Little Mermaid, which ushered in the Disney Renaissance, marrying Broadway musical sensibilities with character driven stories that emotionally bonded the audience to the movies through now-iconic songs. Today we are joined by the co-writer and director of the Little Mermaid, John Musker, who also wrote and directed so many other legendary movies including Aladdin, Hercules, The Great Mouse Detective, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog, and Moana along with his long-time collaborator Ron Clement. Looking through this filmography, I am struck by the fact that John was able to create classic movies through three different eras, keeping music at the forefront while creating timeless stories with humor, adventure, and heart. John shares his amazing career with us while providing behind-the-scenes insight into the movies that we all know and love.

One of the most popular attractions in Walt Disney World is Test Track in EPCOT. It has just reopened after a lengthy reimagining with a new storyline, and new music. Today we are very lucky to be joined by the extremely talented Zain Effendi, who composed all the music for the new version of that attraction. Zain is also no stranger to working for the Disney parks, as he also composed music for the Galactic Starcruiser and for Oga’s Cantina in Galaxy’s Edge. If you haven’t heard the music for Test Track, it is available on your favorite streaming service and it is epic, wonderous, and uplifting in the best Disney tradition. And don’t take my word for it, the piece “Opening” from EPCOT’s Test Track on Walt Disney Records has been submitted for consideration in the Best Instrumental Composition category for the Grammy Awards, and I am so excited to share our conversation with you.

About Zain:

Zain Effendi is an award-winning American composer known for his work in film, television, video games, and theme parks. After studying composition and film scoring at both The Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music, his career ignited when Hans Zimmer invited him to join Remote Control Productions, where he contributed to blockbuster scores including Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda.

Since launching his solo career, Zain has scored projects for Disney, Sony, Warner Brothers, Bad Robot, and more-earning honors such as Best Composer at the Hollywood Music & Media Awards, Multiple Telly Awards, an HMMA win for Best Live Concert (over Jennifer Lopez) and multiple World Entertainment Awards.

Most recently, Zain composed Disney’s 70-minute original score for EPCOT’s re-imagined Test Track attraction, a symphonic-electronic epic that defines a new era of theme-park music. Test Track’s ‘Opening’ is currently in contention for the GRAMMYs® in the category of Best Instrumental Composition. His music also resonates across Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney’s Starcruiser Hotel, and Shanghai Disneyland’s Adventure in Rhythm.

With a career bridging Hollywood blockbusters, award-winning concerts, and groundbreaking work for Disney Imagineering, Zain is redefining the possibilities of modern orchestral music.

Please follow Zain at www.zaineffendi.com and on Instagram @zaineffendi. You can also stream EPCOT: Test Track (Original Soundtrack) on your favorite streaming service.

For many of us, there is nothing quite like experiencing a Disney nighttime parade or fireworks spectacular at the parks. The magic, the wonder, and the emotions that those shows evoke are near and dear to our hearts, and are the basis for so many incredible memories. And, of course, one of the main drivers of those emotional moments is the music that guides and elevates the story. And because the end result is so incredible, it’s easy to overlook how much work goes into tailoring and arranging those iconic songs to fit the timing, pace, and cadence of those shows. Today we are very lucky to be joined by Tim Heintz, an incredible musician and the music director for many of Disney’s nighttime spectaculars, both classic and new. Tim tells us about his musical journey and his work for Disney, Universal, and more.

You can learn more about Tim and his work at www.timheintz.com