The most common reaction I get when I mention SF Music to people is, "Oh, yeah. Uh huh. That weird stuff." Instinctively, I know they are thinking of something synthesized, and, you should pardon the pun, alien sounding. And my most common reaction is, "No, that's not it."

There are echoes of Tchaikovsky, but there's much more than that. It's rollicking and lively—as well as very visual.

In Strad's world, hitting accidental wrong notes makes a performer suspect and any hint of improvisation leads to disciplinary hearings and even possible expulsion from the Conservatory.

Describing themselves as "edu-core," the band performs nothing but two-minute thrash tributes to science fiction writers. Between songs, the band pelts the audience with paperback books, quizzes them on book titles, and demands that the audience show their library cards. Their motto: "The Faster You Go Deaf, the More Time You Have to Read."

Heather Alexander is well known in many circles as an accomplished musician. Not just a vocalist and instrumentalist, Heather also composes and arranges. One of her most recent projects is a collaboration with Steven Barnes, inspired by his novel Lion's Blood.

The latter half of the twentieth century was a time of deep experimentation in sound production, whether breaking down western musical traditions; pulling inspiration from popular, eastern or ethnic music; or incorporating the latest technologies. Many composers found science fiction a natural theme when they wanted to use these new elements in their music.

From the ancient times of Stonehenge, to images of Spaceman visitors we hear musical explorations of our human soul. The final track, "The Lost Cycle," tells a moving Science Fiction story against a musical background of compelling composition and inspired performances.

The Worms (as they are affectionately known) have become one of Canada's best known comedy acts, touring the folk circuit throughout North America, and as far away as Australia.

"Composing is my choice of expression. [M]usic is my means of communicating; it's my means of relating to people. I can run my life with it. I can use it to fuel everything that I do. And that's how I define myself as a composer."

Comparing the soundtracks to the movies, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has become something of an Olympic event among reviewers.