Podcast by Jonathan Goodman
01 October 2025
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.
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01:02:24
22 September 2025
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
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01:04:36
08 September 2025
When you think about the music that we hear in Disney films, it’s easy to say, Oh, Alan Menken wrote that song, or Hanz Zimmer composed that score. And of course, those legendary songwriters and composers are responsible for crafting the melody, vision, and structure of the amazing music we know and love. But, beyond that, within film music there are musicians that work with those composers and songwriters to provide the depth, emotional resonance, and instrumentation that truly bring those songs to life—the orchestrators and arrangers. Today, we are incredibly fortunate to be joined by someone that has done it all—composed, arranged, and orchestrated many of the most popular and beloved songs and scores in Disney history, from Frozen to Moana and from The Lion King on Broadway to Mufasa: The Lion King on the big screen, Dave Metzger. Dave tells us all about his musical journey and how he contributed to the musical magic of so many movies we love.
You can learn more about Dave and follow him at www.davemetzgermusic.com
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01:43:33
24 August 2025
Recently, I was very fortunate to have been able to experience the Disney Music Festival in Disneyland Paris. It is the first event of its kind, and it did an incredible job of capturing the power and magic that Disney music holds for us. In this special episode, I give a rundown of what the Disney Music Festival was about, what it involved, and my thoughts and impressions. I provide a recap of everything I saw and heard and give a ranking of my favorite performances. Please give it a listen and let me know what you think or what questions you have!
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49:15
11 August 2025
Disney music takes so many different forms—movie music, TV compositions, concerts, video games, live entertainment…and the list goes on. Today we are fortunate to be joined by Mark Watters, a six-time Emmy winning composer and conductor who has experience creating music for all of those genres. And in addition to his musical contributions, he has served as music director for 2 Olympics and has even co-conducted the Academy Awards with none other than the maestro himself, John Williams. Mark will tell us all about those experiences and stories, as well as his work bringing Disney music to life.
You can find Mark at www.markwatters.com and check out the Soundtrax Film Music Festival from October 16-18 at soundtrax.org
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01:18:02
27 July 2025
We are joined today by Dave Bossert, who had an amazing 32 year career with The Walt Disney Company and worked on many of its most beloved classics, like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Fantasia 2000. He is also responsible for directing and producing Tunes Behind the Toons, an award-winning short film that perfectly captures the impact and importance of music in Disney animated films while speaking with musical luminaries like Alan Menken, Randy Newman, Bruce Broughton, and Mark Watters. We discuss his career and his insight into the history and importance of music in animated films.
You can find Dave at www.davidbossert.com to learn more about his career and books he has written. You can also listen to the Skull Rock Podcast on all streaming services. Also, you can find the Tunes Behind the Toons film here and listen to Dave's Tunes Behind the Toons show on XM Radio, Channel 133.
I have also recently become a Brand Ambassador for Find the Good, a clothing and apparel company that helps reinforce good habits for mental health and well-being. Mental health is something that affects so many families, including my own, and I appreciate the company’s mission and that fact that it donates 10% of its profits to Mental Health America. If you check it out and want to order something you can use the code “Music Behind the Magic” to get 10% off your order.
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01:16:21