Twenty years in the making. Recorded live in Vienna.
Welcome! I’m Eric Turnnessen — a composer who tells cinematic stories through the power of orchestral music.
Hero’s Victory is an original orchestral piece inspired by the classic arc of the hero’s journey — from struggle and doubt, through descent and resilience, to the ultimate emergence into triumph. It’s a piece about finding inner strength when all seems lost, and remembering the light that called you forward in the first place.
This album is a document of a long creative journey spanning more than two decades. The music unfolds in the order it was created—Gladiator, Hero’s Journey, and Hero’s Victory—tracing a single musical thread from a simple synth piece written in 2001 to a fully realized orchestral recording.
Interwoven with the music are commentary tracks that offer a window into the creative process itself—sharing reflections, behind-the-scenes stories, and the decisions, collaborations, and turning points that shaped the work over time.
In a moment in time when music can be created instantly with the help of AI, this album celebrates a different approach: slow creation, collaboration, learning through doing, and letting time shape the work. At its core, it honors the human process behind the music—the listening, revising, and shared effort that transform an idea into something lasting.
Recorded live at the legendary Synchron Stage Vienna in July 2025, this performance features a 60-piece orchestra I had the privilege of conducting during the Hollywood Music Workshop, guided by the mentorship of veteran film composer and orchestrator Conrad Pope.
This award-winning video presents the final mastered track alongside immersive footage from the session.
Step inside the journey of Hero’s Victory — from its earliest inspirations to the triumphant final cut. This collection brings together every post, video, and reflection from the orchestration process, the road leading up to the recording day, and into the post-production work of mixing, mastering, and video creation.
This project would not have been possible without the generous creativity, care, and support of everyone involved. I’m deeply grateful for each contribution that brought Hero’s Victory to life.
Composed by: Eric Turnnessen & Dominic Sewell
Orchestrated by: Dominic Sewell
Conducted by: Eric Turnnessen
Mentor & Score Advisor: Conrad Pope
Score Readers: Dominic Sewell, Conrad Pope, Rolf Gustavson
Assistant Conductor: Michiel de Boer
Score Proofreaders: Conrad Pope, Dominic Sewell, Eric Turnnessen
Parts Preparation: Ricardo Fernandes
Pro Tools Preparation: Justus Berger & Ed Buller
Orchestra Recorded at: Vienna Synchron Stage
Orchestra: Synchron Stage Orchestra
Concertmaster: Damir Orascanin
Scoring Engineer: Martin Weismayr
Pro Tools Operator: Florian Spies
Contractor: Marton Barka
Technical Manager: Roland Tscherne
Assistant Technical Manager: Cameron Masters
Stage Monitor Mixer: Stephan Huber
Music Prep & Librarians: Sugi Shin & Stefan Höll
Project Coordinators: Astrid Höger & Sabine Tucmandl
Camera Operators: Martin Funk & Anna Patritsiya
Music Producers: Eric Turnnessen & Dominic Sewell
Mixed & Mastered by: John Elleson-Hartley
Video Edited by: Eric Turnnessen
Consulting Editor: Cindy Thoennessen
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