In this episode, Ruth talks to Canadian composer Mikel Hurwitz about the inspirations and beginning of his career as well as his newest projects, including the Documentary "Soul of the Nation" found on Apple as well as Hallmark movies and "Elements", a personal project combining orchestra and electronics.

In the past year, Mikel Hurwitz has written for and conducted the Hollywood Film Orchestra at Warner Brothers and the Costa Rican National Philharmonic with the Los Angeles Film Conductors Intensive, scored the feature documentary Soul of a Nation, and seen his music grace over 40 feature films on six continents. But his journey as a composer began long before these recent milestones.

Born the same month that the iconic Juno-60 Synthesizer was released, Mikel first appeared in the Toronto Star at age two, playing drums in a toddler music class. From those early days at the Royal Conservatory piano bench to improvising on guitar as a teenager, Mikel’s musical path has always been eclectic. At 15, he attended his first film scoring session and never looked back.

After studies that took him from Vancouver to Oaxaca and eventually to the Berklee College of Music Film Scoring program, Mikel honed his craft in Los Angeles as Danny Elfman’s synth programmer and assistant while working on films like The Grinch, Dumbo, and Justice League. After contributing to music teams for major films he fully launched his own composing career, scoring award-winning documentaries and series like the Gentefied digital series, which was picked up by Netflix at the Sundance Film Festival.

Now based in Toronto with his wife, pianist Irina Bazik, and their two children, Mikel continues to blend orchestral and electronic worlds, bringing a unique voice to the global film music stage.

Guest: Mikel Hurwitz https://mikelhurwitz.com

Host: Ruth Mudge https://www.ruthmudge.com/worldofsoundtracks

"War > Manipulated Into Intolerance?" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

"Shining Bright" - Ron Taylor: Dr. Baseball (Original Soundtrack Album, music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2016 Cinemastasia

"All Sides" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

"Fall Apart" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

"Diaspora" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

"Disengage" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

"Child Soldiers" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

Eruption"" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"Resilience > Eruption" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

"Baseless Hatred" - Soul of a Nation (Original Soundtrack), music by Mikel Hurwitz, 2025 Cinemastasia Music LLC

World of Soundtracks - music by Edith Mudge,...

Anybody who has heard the soundtrack for How To Train Your Dragon will admit that it just a lot of fun to listen to. Part of that lies in the Celtic nature of the music both instrument wise as well as the imitation of the melodies and rhythmic structure. This episode focuses on the sounds and music of Berk that helps to set the world as a Viking clan - both the fun and adventurous side as well as the warrior side. At times, it also reflects the various leaders such as Hiccup, Stoick, Astrid who embody the good and the bad at times but overall have a fierce love of their people and eventually the dragons that they protect. This also includes "The Village Hymn" from the third movie which is a newer theme for Berk and its leaders, covering a range of emotions especially for Hiccup and Astrid's relationship as the leaders of Berk.

Host: Ruth Mudge https://www.ruthmudge.com/worldofsoundtracks

Music by John Powell

"This is Berk" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Anybody See That?" - How to Train Your Dragon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack/Deluxe Edition), music by John Powell, 2020 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande Records, LLC, a Concord Company.

"New Tail" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"See You Tomorrow" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"This Time for Sure" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Astrid Goes for a Spin" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"War Room" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"The Downed Dragon" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Dragon Training" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Focus, Hiccup!" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Not a Viking" - How to Train Your Dragon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack/Deluxe Edition), music by John Powell, 2020 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande Records, LLC, a Concord Company.

"Ready the Ships" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Battling the Green Death" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Counter Attack" - How to Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of...

In this episode, we follow Hiccup's journey from an awkward inventor and teenager to the Chief leading Berk over the course of the trilogy, How To Train Your Dragon. We look at four different themes over the course of the three movies as Hiccup continues to dream big while growing in his relationships with his parents and Toothless. He takes big risks, seeks new places, and learns how to lead the clan of Vikings and dragons. Join host Ruth Mudge as she explores the storytelling genius of John Powell taking these themes from joyous and upbeat versions to the melancholy or heroic, with each theme morphing and changing as the story unfolds.

Host: Ruth Mudge, https://www.ruthmudge.com/worldofsoundtracks

"This is Berk" - How To Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"The Downed Dragon" - How To Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"The Kill Ring" - How To Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Ready the Ships" - How To Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Battling the Green Death" - How To Train Your Dragon (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2010 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C., under exclusive license to Varese Sarabande, a division of Concord

"Dragon Racing" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Me Likey" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), The Deluxe Edition, music by John Powell, 2022 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Battle of the Bewilderbeast" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Riding to Drago's" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), The Deluxe Edition, music by John Powell, 2022 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Two New Alphas" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Together We Map the World' - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Hiccup the Chief/Drago's Coming" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Valka's Dragon Sanctuary" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Flying with Mother" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Stoick Saves Hiccup" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Toothless Lost" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

"Should I Know You?" - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Music from the Motion Picture), music by John Powell, 2014 Back Lot Music, a division of Universal...