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Sometimes there are projects that take a little eternity. They'll get started, dropped and picked up again in a frequent manner and the as time passes by, you'll start to doubt that they're ever completed.

Dreams of Flight is a piece that I started thinking about in 2008, I wanted to challenge myself writing a Symphony piece of extraordinary proportions containing powerful themes and clever orchestration, all packed into a Hollywood worthy production. The subject was storytelling through music, something my few listeners always highlighted in my arrangements. Filmmusic needs to tell a story after all, otherwise it could just be described as background music. I started this piece with a piano suite and wrote the first themes in 2009, when I started writing this piece in 2010 I started to work on a feature film, marking my entrance into the commercial world of scoring. Due to these forthcoming commercial project the progress of this piece started to become negligible, there were times where I laid it down for half a year, picked it up again only to drop it again one week later. Luckily my experience and technical possibilities have evolved greatly during that time which enabled me to lift the quality of this track into new heigths. However, getting back into the piece after half a year wasn't easy sometimes and often left me with a headache.

The piece is portraying all sorts of excitements one could get from orchestral music. You'll spot some obvious influences like Powell's Dragon score as well as nods towards Zimmer and Alan Menken which have always been my favorites. However, with this piece I was aiming for a signature sound, with thematic quality high enough that one could easily mistake it for a suite to an animated movie. This piece was supposed to be used for my application at Berklee, but knowing what they charge composers I'm currently rather doubtful that I'll make an entrance there, it's just too expensive.

Dreams of Flight contains 4 movements, similar to a symphony but not following the rules excactly. So I want to use this term with caution.


1. Once upon a Nighttime

The piece makes a calm start with woodwind solos and light orchestration. This part was inspired by Irish Folk music, putting a strong storytelling aspect into the piece. It ends with a buildup that hints at the main theme.

2. Building upon Dreams

A typical montage arrangement introducing the main theme and its continuation. The second part was obviously influenced by Powell's Dragon score, ending with the "musical line of awesomeness", rowing a line of exciting themes.

3. Journey

At this point the piece will calm down and move back to a similar sound as heard in the first movement with the focus on wind solos. In the second part it goes back to the familiar montage sound, but with a lesser presence focusing on explorationary aspects. It ends with a buildup towards the last movement.

4. Limitless

The most powerful and epic movement, throwing everything around that was introduced in the former movements. Several ups and downs here with the focus to never run out of energy. It ends with the maintheme similar to the second movement.


This piece would've never been possible without the great players who performed in this piece. I'd like to thank everyone who had the patience and time to record for this piece!

Kristin Naigus: Oboe, English Horn, Tin & Low Whistle
Sean Lin: Clarinet
Daniela Wolf: Flute
Berker Sen: Bassoon
Mario Hinke & myself: Some choir voices

Special thanks to: Robert Eichenseher (for introducing me to a flute player), Toniko Pantoja (for keeping me motivated), Mario Hinke (additional motivation) and Eastwest Quantum Leap for their excellent libraries.

Credit for the great artwork goes to Niken Anindita. [link]

This piece marks my 5th year of composing music, I've never had any musical training before and completely learned by experience. My goal is to be on par with great composers such as James Horner and Alan Menken someday and I'm ambitious enough to get there one day. My name's Denny Schneidemesser, I'm 25 years old and this is my work.