From Earth's Oceans to Distant Moons
New Worlds to Explore
This immersive concert bridges the known and the unknown, offering a gateway from our blue planet to the ocean worlds of distant moons.
Through evocative orchestral storytelling and breathtaking sea-to-space visuals, audiences embark on a voyage through sound, science and exploration, culminating with THE MOONS SYMPHONY™.
Created as a celebration of humanity's enduring spirit of exploration, the programme offers orchestras a timely opportunity to connect with the new era of lunar exploration and NASA's Artemis programme
Sometimes an idea is so inspired, so perfect, you have to wonder:
How did this not exist before?
Web Behrens - Ravinia Music Magazine July 2024
The Audience Experience
A cinematic concert experience in three acts.
From Earth's Oceans → To the Distant Moons → Beyond
Act I
Sea Trilogy
The opening chapter of the journey.
This award-winning 10-minute orchestral suite transports audiences beneath Earth's oceans, celebrating the beauty, mystery and power of our blue planet through three cinematic movements.
Accompanied by breathtaking immersive ocean visuals, The Sea Trilogy invites audiences to experience the seas that first inspired humanity's spirit of exploration.
I. Mermaid's Maiden Voyage
II. Coral Garden Dance
III. Ascension of the Sea Spirits
orchestra and female choir(SSA)
10 Minutes
Instrumentation
Piccolo • 2 Flutes • 2 Oboes • 2 Clarinets • Bass Clarinet • 2 Bassoons • Contrabassoon
4 Horns • 2 Trumpets • 2 Trombones • Tuba
• Timpani • 4 Percussion • 2 Harps • Celesta • Strings • SSA Choir
Picc. 2.2.2+Bcl.2+Cbsn / 4.2.2.1 / Timp. 4 Perc. 2 Hp. Cel. / Str. / SA Choir
Listen
Dur: 2:40
Dur: 3:10
Dur: 2:35
Watch
Music with Cinematic Ocean Imagery
II - Coral Garden Dance
Soundtrack
Film Production • Paul Myer Hopkins
Video Footage • OpenPlanet.org
★★★★★
We were absolutely delighted to premiere the Sea Trilogy by
Amanda Lee Falkenberg at our Summer Film Music Gala.
The Sea Trilogy was number ONE audience favorite at the GALA
Rosi Dusheva - London Film Orchestra Founder 2017
Sea Trillogy Awards
GREAT AMERICAN
SONG CONTEST
HOLLYWOOD MUSIC
AND MEDIA AWARDS
GREAT AMERICAN
SONG CONTEST
WINNER
Instrumental
2017
BEST NEW
COMPOSER
NOMINATION
2009
FINALIST
Instrumental
2017
There are some brilliant ideas throughout this piece. The impressive instrumentation and orchestral arrangement comes across beautifully.
It’s always refreshing to hear and review instrumentals of this caliber. This stirring instrumental composition really stands out! Congratulations!
"As one of the judges of the Hollywood Music Awards I felt compelled to reach out and say BRAVO. From Tim Burton to 100’s of other scores, this work is stellar!”
Suzanne Hilleary
Music Licenser | Supervisor WACBIZ (New York)
"This intensely cinematic arrangement really stands out among the front runners in this category.
Falkenberg impressively navigate between styles and has the enviable ability to balance lightness with intensity.
This most certainly is well written and has an arrangement that keeps things moving
-Falkenberg clearly knows how to make an impact.”
Act II
Between Sea and Space
A Conversation with
NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott
A Message from Space
From Earth's oceans to the stars.
In this inspiring 5–10 minute presentation, astronaut Nicole Stott shares how living and training beneath Earth's oceans helped prepare her for life in space.
Drawing on her unique experiences as both an aquanaut and astronaut, she reveals the remarkable parallels between exploring Earth's deepest seas and venturing into the vastness of our Solar System.
Her reflections become the bridge between our own blue planet and the extraordinary ocean worlds awaiting discovery beyond Earth.
Act III
Beyond the Horizon
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THE MOONS SYMPHONY™
From Earth's oceans to distant moons.
The final act launches audiences beyond our world on an unforgettable orchestral and choral journey across the Solar System.
Travel to the volcanic landscapes of Io, the hidden ocean of Europa, the methane lakes of Titan, the icy geysers of Enceladus, the towering cliffs of Miranda, the giant moon Ganymede, before returning home beneath Earth's own Moon.
Accompanied by stunning immersive visuals inspired by NASA imagery and the work of renowned space artists, THE MOONS SYMPHONY™ celebrates humanity's enduring desire to explore, discover and understand our place in the cosmos.
Act III
Watch the
Cinematic Space Videos
Concert Experience
Experience the complete seven-movement cinematic journey
created to accompany THE MOONS SYMPHONY™ in live performance.
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Reviews
★★★★★
Choir and Organ
★★★★★
“This is a real one-off…it succeeds because [Falkenberg’s] a very experienced composer of film music, and the extraordinary quality of the performance”
Limelight Article
- Megan Stellar
“Once in a while, a new composition comes along and knock you right off your feet - the emotion, the breadth, the message gets its hooks in you and holds on.”
Harmonious Podcast
“THE MOONS SYMPHONY is one of my favorite classical albums and it is simply stunning…”
BBC Music Magazine
“This ambitious project is brought to life by a sizzling LSO and a gutsy London Voices…This is musical painting on an infectiously grand scale”
All Music
★★★★½
"This is music designed to grab the listener’s attention. It also happens to be right up the alley of conductor Marin Alsop, leading the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Voices; she builds a solid structure and keeps it moving along effectively”
Fine Music Radio Inc.
“Sincere warm congratulations on a spectacular, mesmerizing composition!”
Limelight
★★★★
“Falkenberg’s passionate and creative adaptation of the film music genre is firmly embraced by the committed artistry of the London Symphony under Marin Alsop and the warm cohesion and crystalline diction of the London Voices directed by Ben Parry…The Moons Symphony offers a precious and timely perspective on our own fragile planet that we would do well to heed”
sonogram
“This is a captivating work, an exciting and emotional journey in tonal language, in which the composer aspires to make her music serves as a reflection on who we are and where we are, so that we are aware of the beauty of our planet and the majesty of the moons of our solar system…Alsop is impeccable because of the naturalness with which she extracts all the melodic weight of this work, which lives with the stars”
Music Files Ltd
For her "Moons Symphony", Australian-born composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg has picked seven of the most interesting moons in the Solar System to depict musically. A similar idea to Holst's Planet Suite, but Falkenberg goes for an emotional reaction to each moon's unique science, rather than the Astrological character of Holst's approach. We get a glimpse of some widely varied geology and unimaginable chemistry, culminating in the inspiring yet relatively homely Earthrise from our own Moon. … The result is a wonderfully evocative work that could equally grace concert halls or film scores
Gramophone
"Marin Alsop secures excellent playing from the London Symphony Orchestra”
The Collaborators
Meet the conductor, the scientists, and the astronaut who helped shape this journey
This cinematic piece is the result of a rare collaboration between the worlds of music, space science, and human exploration.
These planetary experts helped shape the stories at the heart of
THE MOONS SYMPHONY™.
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Johns Hopkins APL
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Planetary geologist and Principal Investigator of the Dragonfly mission to Titan, Dr. Turtle’s expertise directly informed the third movement. She appeared live in Chicago, joining the cast on stage in celebration of music and planetary exploration.
Dr. Zibi Turtle
Dragonfly Mission
Titan
NASA | JPL
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A Voyager mission scientist and spaceflight architect, Dr. Spilker contributed foundational insights to Miranda, the focus of Movement 5. He brought the story to life on stage at Chicago’s Breaking Barriers Festival, supporting the symphony’s message of exploration.
Dr. Thomas Spilker
Voyager | Cassini
Titan | Enceladus | Miranda
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NASA | JPL
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Cassini and Voyager scientist, Dr. Spilker helped shape the scientific narrative of Movement 4 – Enceladus. She has been a guiding force since the project's early days, connecting Amanda to NASA through a pivotal invitation to present at JPL in 2018.
Dr. Linda Spilker
Cassini | Voyager Mission
Titan, Enceladus, Miranda
Imperial College London
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Prof. Michele Dougherty is a leading physicist and Principal Investigator on the Cassini and JUICE missions. Her magnetometer’s detection of a mysterious signal at Enceladus inspired Movement 4. She supported the project’s debut at Imperial College and Chicago.
Prof. Michele Dougherty
Cassini | JUICE Mission
Enceladus
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Watch
teaser excerpts with LSO and choir
Abbey Road Studios
Listen
Concert At a Glance
FROM EARTH'S OCEANS TO DISTANT MOONS
A cinematic concert experience in three acts
Act I
Sea Trilogy
Orchestra + SSA Choir
10 minutes
Act II
Between Sea and Space
A Conversation with NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott
5–10 minutes
Act III
THE MOONS SYMPHONY™
Orchestra + SATB Choir + Soloists + Cinematic Visuals
45 minutes
Full instrumentation, scores and production materials available upon request.
