Music Behind the Magic

A Conversation with Pixar Creative Veteran James Ford Murphy and the Music of "Lava"

This year commemorates the 40th anniversary of Pixar. Pixar was officially founded as an independent company on February 3, 1986, when Steve Jobs purchased the Computer Graphics Division from Lucasfilm. Since that time, Pixar has gone on revolutionize the industry, creating technologically groundbreaking and emotionally resonant masterpieces, including 20 short films and 30 feature films. But, what is it about Pixar that allows it to continually produce such unique and compelling stories? Today, continuing with our Pixar celebration, we are very fortunate to be joined by James Ford Murphy, who has been with Pixar for 30 of the company’s 40 years of existence, working as an animator and a director. He is also the creator, director, and composer of the Pixar short film “Lava,” which is one of my votes for the Top 10 Pixar songs of all time. Jim joins us to discuss his career, his work at Pixar, the Pixar culture, and of course, the story behind one of our favorite Pixar songs.

Haim Mazar and the Music of Disney's Versa

The amazing thing about Disney movies is how they are able to make us feel so many emotions through the use of unparalleled storytelling. With some clever or poignant dialogue, incredible voice acting and music in the background, we can feel joy, wonder, or even sadness. But what happens when someone wants to convey some of the most complex and personal of emotions—love, loss, grieving, acceptance, and healing--without any dialogue at all? In the short film Versa (which is now streaming on Disney+), Director Malcon Pierce shares his extremely personal voyage through the story of a young couple looking to start a family that experiences that gamut of emotions as they embark on an ethereal and imaginative cosmic dance of life. In the short, because there is no dialogue, music is the guiding force, along with breathtaking animation, that creates a truly exceptional visual and auditory experience. And the composer of the music for Versa is our friend Haim Mazar, who returns to the podcast to discuss his work on Versa, as well as some other amazing Disney park projects that he has contributed to since he last joined us. You can follow Haim at HaimMazar.com and on Instagram @haimmazarmusic. You can watch Versa on Disney+ and listen to the soundtrack on your favorite streaming service. And Scary Movie 6 opens on June 5th.

Composer Tyler Koontz and Creating Disney Parks Music Around the World

When we visit the Disney parks, there is always music around to guide us. There is the background music in each land that sets the theme, and the attraction music that helps narrate the story of the ride. But the music in the parades, shows, and nighttime entertainment spectaculars is there to do more than guide you—it is there to make you feel. To give you that beautifully bittersweet feeling of nostalgia, the lump in the throat as you reflect on your own Disney memories, and the huge smile when the music just makes you want to move. Today we are joined by Tyler Koontz, an extremely talented composer who has created some of that music for those incredible shows around the world—from Disneyland Paris to Tokyo DisneySea. In fact, he has written the theme song for Tokyo DisneySea 25th Sparkling Jubilee, called “Come Join the Jubilee.” Tyler talks about his musical journey and how he has created the type of music that makes us feel all those emotions in the Parks. Check out Tyler at tylerkoontzmusic.com and on Instagram @trkstudios. And stream "Come Join the Jubilee" on all music platforms.

The Top 10 Pixar Songs with Tim Foster

With all of the Disney news that has come out in the past few months, it might have gone a bit under the radar that Pixar recently celebrated its 40th anniversary as a company. And Pixar in particular has established an incredible musical legacy, not in the traditional “Disney Musical” sense, but by using compositions and songs to drive the narrative of its films and maximize their emotional impact. So, what better way to celebrate Pixar’s 40th than with a discussion of the best Pixar music? And who better to do that with than our pal Tim Foster for Celebrations Press, who shares my love—and emotional fragility—for Pixar movies and songs. So, in keeping with Tim’s patented Top 10 list format, we present to you our Top 10 Pixar songs. Please check out Tim, Celebrations Magazine, and incredible keepsake books at celebrationspress.com

The Psychology of Disney Music with John Powell

We all know how Disney music makes us feel, but there is another, underlying question—why does it make us feel this way? Today we are joined by John Powell, who has written two books on the psychology of music, to help us understand the power of music and musical techniques that create such powerful emotional and physical responses in us. You can find John's books on Amazon here [https://a.co/d/0a0olsIg] and here. [https://a.co/d/0fRiXB6D] And check out the classical guitar piece he wrote, performed by Alexandra Whittingham on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N-7ohzLQKg4?si=psJFdruumcQnHcpD Please follow us on IG @musicbehindthemagic, join of FB group at facebook.com/groups/musicbehindthemagic, or on YouTube at @musicbehindthemagic.