Dallas – The Dallas Chamber Symphony is set to launch its 2026‑2027 season with a special movie‑in‑concert event on Sept. 22 at Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District. The evening will pair the premiere of the wildlife documentary Deep in the Heart II: Texas Rivers with a live performance of its original score by the orchestra.
Local filmmakers find a Texas orchestra
Texas filmmaker and writer Ben Masters long sought a Texas‑based orchestra to record the music for his newest documentary. After a fan made the connection, Masters partnered with the Dallas Chamber Symphony, calling the collaboration “the best score we’ve done yet.”
Film details and narration
The documentary, narrated by Academy Award‑nominated Dallas native Ethan Hawke, celebrates the state’s rivers, waterways and unique ecosystems. Composer Noah Sorota, an Los Angeles‑based musician who has become an honorary Texan through previous work with Masters, crafted a score that aims to sound “wet” and flowing, mirroring the water‑filled landscapes on screen.
Live performance and community impact
Richard McKay, the orchestra’s music and artistic director, will conduct the live soundtrack as the film plays. The performance highlights the special connection between the music and the scenery: “It’s about Texas. It’s filmed in Texas. The players live here, raise families here, and they could see their own backyard on the screen,” Sorota said.
Masters believes the live element adds an emotional layer, noting that the musicians were “a half a mile away from the river we filmed on” yet poured love and passion into the performance. He hopes the film will inspire Texans to ask questions about their rivers and consider how to protect and restore them for future generations.
Recording in Texas
Unlike many film scores recorded in Los Angeles, Nashville, London or Eastern Europe, the Dallas Chamber Symphony recorded Sorota’s music over several days in Arlington in June, just before the FIFA World Cup Finals began. The decision to keep the project in‑state underscores a growing trend of Texas talent supporting local arts and environmental storytelling.
Upcoming screenings
After the live concert on Sept. 22, the documentary will open in theaters across Texas on Sept. 25, giving audiences statewide the chance to experience the film’s celebration of the Lone Star State’s waterways.
For more information about the Dallas Chamber Symphony’s season and ticketing, visit the orchestra’s website.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
