Lakeshore Records (lakeshorerecords.com) is set to release Mushka — Original Score digitally on November 17, with music by Fabrizio Mancinelli. The orchestral score provides a backdrop to the hand-drawn animated short written and created by acclaimed animator Andreas Deja. Disney Legend and Oscar winner Richard M. Sherman created Mushka’s Theme and wrote “Mushka’s Lullaby” for the soundtrack, which was arranged by Mancinelli.
Ahead of the soundtrack’s launch, Animation Magazine is delighted to share an exclusive advance track, “Grandma Needs Me/Big Cat Rescue Team,” which you can enjoy below.
Mushka tells the story of the Ukrainian girl Sarah who raises a Siberian tiger during the 1970s. She calls him Mushka, when she discovers an “M” shaped birthmark on the tiger cub’s forehead. (The word “mushka” is a Russian term of endearment, like “sweetheart.”) The film is about the challenge of having to let go of someone you love, even if it is the hardest thing. The heartwarming story concludes with a reminder that life has a way to provide hope and happiness again, even amidst adversity.
Mushka has qualified by exhibition for Academy Awards consideration in the Best Animated Short Film category. Learn more about the film at mushkathemovie.com.
“Drawing inspiration from musical legacies of the past, I yearned to craft a score that transcended mere folkloric conventions. The animation’s exquisite visual aesthetic, reminiscent of beautifully illustrated books, served as a guiding light, influencing the musical nuances that painted each frame. The result is a symphonic score that transcends borders, cultures and eras,” says Mancinelli.
“I was overjoyed when Andreas asked me to compose the score for Mushka, a love letter to his art form, hand-drawn animation. It was an extraordinary opportunity for me to collaborate with not one, but two Disney Legends, Deja himself and Richard M. Sherman, who had already composed a unique and instantly recognizable theme for Mushka, adding another layer of excitement to our collaboration.”
Pre-save the Mushka OST on major digital music platforms now; direct links available here.
Track List
- Happy New Year – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- I’ll Be Alright – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Arrival At The Station – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- The Miners / A New Home – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Out There In The Forest – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Chasing The Tiger – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- I’ll Call Him Mushka / Growing Together (feat. Holly Sedillos) – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Instinct Awakes / Sarah’s Nightmare / The Card Game – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- They Want Mushka / Chase In The Forest And Farewell – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Grandma Needs Me / Big Cat Rescue Team – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Mushka’s Lullaby (feat. Holly Sedillos) – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Mushka’s Lullaby (Instrumental) – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Fantasia From Mushka (For Flute And Piano) (feat. Sara Andon, Simone Pedroni) – Fabrizio Mancinelli
- Mushka’s Lullaby (For Flute And Piano) (feat. Sara Andon, Simone Pedroni) – Fabrizio Mancinelli
Mancinelli is an Italian-American composer, songwriter and conductor whose impressive list of clients and collaborators includes The Walt Disney Studios, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. and NBC. He has written the score for notable animated and related titles like Disney’s Growing Up with Nine Old Men and Universal’s The Snow Queen 4: Mirrorlands, and has conducted, for colleague Kris Bowers, the orchestral recordings for Warner Bros.’ Space Jam 2 and the Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Macinelli also composed the music for “The Mouse Song,” performed by Daveed Diggs and featured in Netflix’s animated Green Eggs and Ham, collaborating with lyricist and screenwriter Mark Rizzo.
The L.A.-based composer is a Sundance Film Music Fellow (2015) and BMI Conduction Fellow (2016) and is the founder of Fab Music, Inc., a music sound production company based in Glendale, California. He is also a voting Member of the Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences, the Recording Academy and ASIFA.
