Episode 22

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Published on:

26th Jan 2026

A Conversation with Mikel Hurwitz

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

"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, graphics by Lindsey Bergsma

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About the Podcast

World of Soundtracks
The Musical Journey of Soundtracks
Love the soundtracks of your favorite movie or show and you don't know why? Join host Ruth Mudge as she takes you on a journey through Jane Austen, Harry Potter, and other beloved soundtracks. She explores how the music enhances telling the story and the ways these musical ideas carry both the narrative and emotional journey of the characters and world.
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Ruth Mudge

Ruth Mudge, a former native of Connecticut, is a cello instructor and performer in the Western Suburbs of the Chicago area.  She grew up playing both the piano and cello in a musical household. The love and knowledge she received in that home and teachers she loves to share with others, whether through teaching a new generation of musicians to sharing her musical gifts to her community.
Ruth began teaching Soundtrack classes on Zoom in 2020 ranging from Star Wars to Harry Potter to Jane Austen adaptations. She presented a break-out session "The World of Jane Austen Soundtracks" at JASNA's AGM in 2021 as well as to local chapters around the country. She has also collaborated with YouTube channel "Jorah the Andal" on several videos focused on the TV show "Arrow."