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| 04.18.13 |
ONE OF THE GREAT UNSUNG HEROES OF MODERN FILM MUSIC? |
"Durango shows us that McKenzie is one of the great unsung heroes of modern film music – and anyone with a love of beautiful melody would be wise to check the score out." Thank you to Sean Wilson for his kind words and in depth review of Durango which is now available at digital music outlets everywhere.
DurangoReview |
| 03.01.13 |
HALLMARK RE-RELEASES DURANGO FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY! |
In honor of St Patrick’s Day, Hallmark Hall of Fame is happy to digitally re-release the out of print soundtrack to the 1999 Irish film "Durango." Mark McKenzie’s uplifting, & beautiful Irish orchestral music has become a much loved classic. This adventurous, romantic, and at times comedic story gave inspiration to music that has found its way to billions first on the 72nd Academy Awards broadcast and now as the closing music to each and every new ABC Sunday Night Hallmark Hall of Fame movie premiere.
"Durango" was the directorial debut of the award winning director and producer Brent Shields. It is one of the early symphonic scores composed by Mark McKenzie. The film tells the story about a young Irish man named Mark who learns that love and life are more than warm feelings and provision for self. As he courageously drives cattle across the Irish countryside in the early 1940’s he learns that love requires selflessness, responsibility, hard work, passion and tenderness. Through risk taking, generosity, humor and personally taking responsibility for his circumstance, he musters the courage to stand up for what’s right and lead others in the face of powerful opposition.
Produced by Richard Welsh, Brent Shields and Brad Moore the film starred Academy Award winning actress Brenda Fricker, Matt Keeslar and Nancy St. Alban. The music was orchestrated by Mark McKenzie and Patrick Russ, and was recorded in the historic city of Prague using a 70 piece symphony orchestra, pan pipes, penny whistle, uilleann pipes and the traditional bodhran drums. Credit goes to Recording engineer Jiri Zobac, Mixing engineer Armin Steiner, Music editor Chris Ledesma and copyist Gregg Nestor. The composer invites you to join him on his website and on facebook at Mark McKenzie Music.
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| 02.13.13 |
PLEASE USE CDBABY.COM |
| Just a little plug for online distributor CDBaby . They are committed to supporting their artists and have become the online outlet that is paying the greatest percentage of sales to artists (far beyond itunes and amazon). They also have made it possible to listen to my entire soundtracks on my Facebook music page. Thanks CDBaby! |
| 01.22.13 |
LOVELINESS: THE LOST CHILD |
| Thank you to Thomas Glorieux (Belgium) for his new generous review of "The Lost Child" (available on itunes). "People who like something positive, lovely, relaxing and endearing will discover the warmth and beauty of Mark’s ideas after one initial listen....it literally melts the heart...These themes, these gentle compositions, these beautiful experiences run fluently throughout the remainder of the score...The Lost Child holds so much loveliness...McKenzie fans, you will be in for a treat (AGAIN)." maintitles.net |
| 11.13.12 |
The Greatest Miracle / El Gran Milagro on itunes |
| The Greatest Miracle / El Gran Milagro soundtrack CD is no longer available at BSX Records or Buysoundtrax.com. At the moment is is only available as a digital download at CD Baby, itunes, and Amazon.com. |
| 08.13.12 |
THE GREATEST MIRACLE: (10/10) INSPIRED SCORE |
| Thank you to the Filmmusicsite.com for the very generous Review of "The Greatest Miracle." "This is an inspired score, a special work within the world of film music, it is a soundtrack that once heard will remain a firm favorite amongst collectors of film music, it is a work that will make cinema audiences weep...Scores such as this happen rarely these days, and when one such as this does emerge we should embrace it, savour it, adore it and shout from the rooftops about it." |
| 07.21.12 |
I LOVE YOU airs on HOUR OF POWER |
| Mark is honored to have Virtuoso Pan Flutist Noortje Van Middlekoop perform "I Love You" from "The Last Sin Eater" movie score on the newly revised Hour of Power episode 2216 "You’ve Got be be Hungry" To hear please scroll to 23:57. In light of the Aurora Co tragedy saying and living "I love You" each day seems more important than ever. |
| 07.01.12 |
SAMMY FILM MUSIC AWARD |
| Mark is very honored to receive the 2011 "Sammy Film Music Award" for "The Greatest Miracle / El Gran Milagro" A special thank you to American Music Preservationists Roger Hall and Steve Vertlieb. Sammys |
| 06.27.12 |
LOST CHILD RE-RELEASED |
| Many thanks to Hallmark Hall of Fame for re-releasing Mark McKenzie’s music to "The Lost Child" this week. Long out of print, this beautiful score is available now as a digital download on Cd Baby, Amazon, and itunes. Take a listen to the entire score by clicking on the "Music Store" at: MarkMcKenzieMusic |
| 05.26.12 |
EL GRAN MILAGRO MUSIC WINS at PARK CITY FILM MUSIC FESTIVAL |
| Bruce Morris, Pablo Barroso and composer Mark McKenzie want to thank the 2012 Park City Film Music Festival for awarding the music to "El Gran Milagro / The Greatest Miracle" 2nd place at the Park City Film Music Festival under the "Best Impact in Music in a Feature Film" category. Thank you especially to Russell and Leslie Harlow and those who contributed so generously. |
| 05.26.12 |
IPHONE RINGTONES AVAILABLE |
| Mark McKenzie Ring tones from El Gran Milagro / The Greatest Miracle, Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde, and others are now available for download on the iphone. |
| 05.23.12 |
LISTEN TO THE GREATEST MIRACLE on FACEBOOK |
| You are invited to hear the entire award winning music score to "The Greatest Miracle / El Gran Milagro" free of charge by clicking on the "MUSIC STORE" icon at the "Mark McKenzie Music" Facebook Page:Mark McKenzie Music. |
| 05.23.12 |
THE GREATEST MIRACLE USA DVD RELEASE COMING |
| "The Greatest MIracle" DVD will be released in the USA beginning in November of 2012...just in time for Christmas! |
| 04.05.12 |
2ND BEST SCORE OF THE YEAR |
| Mark McKenzie is honored to have The Greatest Miracle / El Gran Milagro" chosen as the 2nd best Score of the Year by the Europe’s filmmusicjournal. Being Second Best, next to the legendary John Williams is indeed a great honor. |
| 04.05.12 |
IFMCA BEST SCORE OF THE YEAR AWARD |
| The International Film Music Critics Assoc. chose John WIlliams "War Horse" over "The Greatest Miracle / El Gran Milagro" as "Best Score of the Year" Mark McKenzie is honored to have his score nominated next to the master John Williams. IFMCA |
| 02.01.12 |
NOMINATION: BEST ANIMATED FILM SCORE |
Thank you to "Premios Goldspirits 2011" for the nomination of Mark McKenzie’s "The Greatest Miracle" as Best Score for an Animated Film." Goldspirits 2011
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| 01.06.12 |
VARIETY EYE ON OSCAR FOR MCKENZIE |
| Hollywood’s oldest and most respected daily news magazine, Variety highlights Mark McKenzie’s "The Greatest Miracle" as a "Best Film Score" Oscar contender. |
| 12.04.11 |
AMERICAN MUSIC PRESERVATION AWARDS SPECIAL MERIT TO THE GREATEST MIRACLE |
| Thank you to film music historians Steve Vertlieb, Roger Hall and Americanmusicpreservation.com/ for the award of "Special Merit" to the music of "The Greatest Miracle (El Gran Milagro)." "deeply passionate and etheral...strikingly original...unfathomable beauty...This is an important score in the continuing evolution and maturation of American motion picture music...rising to spiritual heights unheard since the glory days of Alfred Newman...a powerful testament to the undeniable truth of music’s power to elevate its visual counterpart to infinite grandeur and glory..." |
| 11.18.11 |
THE GREATEST MIRACLE IS BEST INDIE SCORE OF 2011 |
| Mark McKenzie is deeply honored to accept the "BEST INDIE SCORE OF 2011" from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards hmmawards for the spiritually themed film "The Greatest Miracle." I invite you to listen to a suite at TGM Prelude/ The orchestra was conducted by the gifted Great Falls Symphony Music director and Conductors Guild VP Gordon Johnson. The London boys choir "Libera" was led by Robert Prizeman. |
| 10.18.11 |
NEW INTERVIEW on THE GREATEST MIRACLE |
| Thank you Xavier Ducamp and the French site Cinezik for spotlighting Mark McKenzie’s The Greatest Miracle (El Gran Milagro) music: English French |
| 10.12.11 |
POPE BENEDICT XIV |
| Pope Benedict XIV recently saw and liked the movie and music to "The Greatest Miracle (El Gran Milagro)" very much. Mark McKenzie is deeply honored to have been part of this beautiful Bruce Morris directed Catholic themed film about love, hope, faith, healing and redemption. |
| 07.20.11 |
MCKENZIE LIVE IN MADRID, SPAIN |
| The European premiere of Mark McKenzie’s "The Greatest Miracle Suite" will be performed August 17th, 2011 in Madrid, Spain at 8:30 PM on Calle Luchana conducted by Roque Baños. The 12 minute suite from McKenzie’s acclaimed "The Great Miracle" film score will be performed before 10,000 people in a celebration of Jornada Mundial de la Juventud, coinciding with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. |
| 04.08.11 |
REVIEWS ON THE GREATEST MIRACLE |
THE GREAT MIRACLE is 2011’s Benchmark score...a Magnificent work... the best score I’ve heard this year. Eric Woods
cinematicsound.net
"Mark McKenzie writes some of the most beautiful, lyrical and emotionally resonant music ever written for film - and I do mean ever written for film...Film scores like this don’t come along too often. Music so passionate, so moving, so warm. Jonathan Broxton
moviemusicuk.us
"The Great Miracle" is an inspired score...Scores such as this happen rarely, and when one does emerge we should embrace it, savour it, adore it and shout from the rooftops about it. An essential purchase! John Mansell:
runmovies.eu
"...a soaring, spiritually powerful score...To say that it is beautiful is a gross understatement." James Southall
movie-wave.net |
| 02.18.11 |
FILM SCORE MONTHLY Interview |
| Thanks to Tim Curran for the interview article on Mark’s composing career in the February, 2011 issue at Film Score Monthly. |
| 01.26.11 |
BLIZZARD SCORE AVAILABLE ON iTUNES and AMAZON |
"BLIZZARD may come as close to a perfect, wholly original holiday score as you’ll find." FILM SCORE MONTHLY
BLIZZARD IS NOW AVAILABLE for digital download ON ITUNES and AMAZON |
| 10.16.10 |
JAMMA / Crystal Heart Award Winner |
| Mark McKenzie completed composing the music to JAMAA, the "Crystal Heart Award" winner at the Heartland Film Festival: a true story filmed in Uganda to help World Vision’s outreach to African Aids Orphans, directed by Michael Landon Jr. Check out the beautiful trailer at: jamaa.worldvision.org/ JAMAA is to be released early in 2011. |
| 04.22.10 |
NEW Main Title MUSIC for HALLMARK HALL OF FAME composed by Mark McKenzie |
| Mark McKenzie gave a fresh face to the Hallmark main title opening and closing theme music by composing new material to complement the classic Hallmark theme. The new opening and closing theme premieres on CBS Sunday Night April 25, 2010 along with the film LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH: THE LOIS WILSON STORY. |
| 03.01.10 |
Accolade Interview with Mark McKenzie |
The Accolade Competion website recently posted an interview with Mark McKenzie on his general film compositional approach and his Award Winning score to SAVING SARAH CAIN. accoladecompetition.org
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| 02.25.10 |
New work to Premiere at Crystal Cathedral this Easter |
Mark McKenzie’s newly composed work "He is Alive" for chorus, symphony orchestra, pipe organ and carillon will be premiered on Easter Sunday, April 4th, 2010 at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove CA. McKenzie was asked to compose something new and special for the Cathedral by Gretchen Schuller Penner last summer. Performances are at 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 AM. The work will air worldwide on Easter Sunday 2011 via television and the web.
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| 02.15.10 |
Saving Sarah Cain Wins BEST OF SHOW ACCOLADE AWARD |
Saving Sarah Cain was awarded the 2009 "BEST OF SHOW" Accolade Award. accoladecompetition.org The award was announced February 2, 2010 saying: "...Saving Sarah Cain showcases the talent of this brilliant composer...The rich music lifts the film and adds to dramatic impact."
Thank you to Michael Landon Jr. and Brian Bird for trusting me with this beautiful 20th Century Fox film. The Word Records soundtrack is available on itunes and at Amazon. You may also hear music clips by clicking on the "Listen" page above. |
| 01.11.10 |
Seven Extraordinary Things www.sevenextraoridnarythings.com |
| Mark McKenzie invites you to check out director Doug Lefler’s new sevenextraordinarythings.com website. (Doug directed THE LAST LEGION with Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley as well as DRAGONHEART: A NEW BEGINNING.) He’s written a witty and insightful free graphic novel about a college age artist named Greg. If you check out the trailer towards the bottom of the screen, there are extra points if you can guess what movie the music came from. At art school, Greg will do anything to escape mediocrity, including becoming the secret benefactor to Nina, a gifted dancer who is his inspiration. When Greg learns Nina is willing to die for her art, his own conviction is tested to the limit. This 136 page story about Greg’s struggles to live up to a list of life goals he wrote as a child has been repurposed for easy reading on the computer screen. New panels of the story are added to the site daily. |
| 05.05.09 |
"THE LOVELY AND HEARTWARMING MCKENZIE SOUND IS BACK" |
| Thanks to Belgium reviewer Thomas Glorieux for his positive review of SAVING SARAH CAIN: "When it comes down to dramas, composer and orchestrator Mark McKenzie is one of the very best. His ample projects prove that he is capable of pouring heart into a drama, emotion into a story, quality into music..." http://www.maintitles.net/reviews/saving-sarah-cain/ |
| 02.17.09 |
2009 ARVELLA SCHULLER PERFORMING ARTS AWARD |
| Mark is honored to receive the 2009 Arvella Schuller Performing Arts Award along with Grammy winning, Multi Dove Award winner singer, song writer and author Rebecca St. James. The award is given each year to honor professionals who make positive contributions towards family values in the arts. Past recipients include Tommy Lasorda, Dr. Phil, John Tesh, Nita Whitaker, Don Lafontaine, Dorthy Benham, and Back Street Boys' Brian Littrell. |
| 12.03.08 |
POST MAGAZINE ARTICLE JUST RELEASED |
| "McKenzie has gone on to compose exceptionally beautiful thematic music for films...from the action adventure of DRAGONHEART: A NEW BEGINNING to the romantic themes of SAVING SARAH CAIN, McKenzie must have a vast creative well to pull from." Ron DiCesare writes a memorable article on Mark's film music and work process as a composer (Page 44-46 in the November issue of POST MAGAZINE). |
| 11.09.08 |
Salt Lake Symphony to perform THE LION AND THE MOUSE in January |
| THE LION AND THE MOUSE (performed numerous times by the Pittsburgh Symphony, Lexington Symphony, Slovak Symphony and the University of Wisconsin Symphony) is being performed January 17, 2009 by the Salt Lake City Symphony at Libby Gardner Concert Hall in Salt Lake City Utah. If you haven't heard this childrens work, you are invited to hear it in its entirety on the Mark McKenzie Listen Page under "CON PASSIONE" (Track # 17). |
| 07.24.08 |
DISNEYLAND - PARIS / DISNEYWORLD |
| If you happen to visit Disneyland - Paris, check out the new STITCH LIVE attraction to hear a fun piece of music just composed. If you make it to DISNEYWORLD in Florida, be sure to check out Mark's score to STITCH's GREAT ESCAPE! |
| 02.04.08 |
SAVING SARAH CAIN IS VELVET?? |
| ...you cannot expect to listen to a Mark Mckenzie Score and not be affected by its emotional pull or tug at your heart. This is the most "tender" score I have listened to of McKenzies...we are left to marvel at his writing. Mark McKenzie seems like a great cabernet, while getting mature with age his melodic work is velvet to the ear now and his orchestrations pull everything together like a great wine and it's elements on the palate. You cannot go wrong here. Mckenzie is on his way to being a major talent in the industry. Cain is an A+. William J. Phillips Jr. on Amazon.com "Saving Sarah Cain" is available on Word / Warner Records, on itunes and at at all major outlets. |
| 02.04.08 |
THE LAST SIN EATER: MOST HEARTFELT MUSIC IN YEARS...TENDER AND SOARINGLY JOYFUL |
THE LAST SIN EATER was recently awarded an "Accolade Award," for best film score of 2007 and also has recieved some fantastic reviews: "The music is both intricately tender and soaringly joyful, illuminating both the suffering of guilt and the promise of redemption that is part of the character’s journey through faith...The Last Sin Eater is indeed one of 2007’s most beautiful and expressive film scores. (by Randall Larson / Buysoundrax.com) and "Sometimes darkness can hold spiritual beauty, as Mark McKenzie evidences in his beautiful score for THE LAST SIN EATER...Pan flutes and fiddles create a rustic, period setting for this unique rite of absoution, which takes form in a haunting female voice, suspenseful orchestrations, and unearthly harps....in this allmightlily effective score." a review in Venice Magazine by Daniel Schweiger. "The Last Sin Eater" is available on Word Records, on itunes, and all major record outlets. Thomas Glorieux writes: "After all is said and done, Mark McKenzie just hasn't lost his touch for writing some of the most heartfelt music of the last couple of years."
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| 08.18.07 |
Hugh Hewitt Show Interview |
| I invite you to listen to an enjoyable interview with Hugh Hewitt on the nationally syndicated "Hugh Hewitt Show". We did a 45 minute overview of my work with a focus on THE LAST SIN EATER and SAVING SARAH CAIN. Just click "Hugh Hewitt Interview" under the INTERVIEWS page. |
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