MRH : The Journey to the Center of the Earth album also contains some really vibrant action cues, and I'm curious if you think that classical scoring style has fallen out of vogue over the last 20 years, and if it's something like a lost art, because there's not many opportunities to write in that grand style?

AL : For better and for worse. I think a lot of the films being made to day don't call for that type of score, so it was a real treat to be able to write and have an opportunity where that type of score was appropriate. I think part of it is the fact that the genre is changing, and part of it is that music evolves and composers evolve, and filmmakers evolve and are always trying to do something new and creative.

In some films you end up doing creative things by paying homage to some earlier films and trying to do a modern take on it, and in others you just try and come up with a new element in the art that will expand the art form, kind of slightly go outside the boundaries while still keeping an element to it which is comfortable and that your audience can relate to.

MRH : Two quick questions. Some of the most respected composers in the industry like Howard Shore , Mychael Danna, and Jeff Danna are Canadian, and I wonder if you think if there's some kind of a unique cultural difference that's enabled them to expertly score some very strong or daring films over the years?

AL : I don't know. I would say that across the board there are a lot of talented Canadians in every industry, though it's nice that the music industry is represented so well. I can't think that there's any special trait other than as Canadians we all work hard and try to have fun with what we're doing.

MRH : And finally, what are your current projects?

AL : After I came home from London after scoring and mixing Journey to the Center of the Earth I started a film called One Week, which is written and directed by Michael McGowan (Saint Ralph) and it starts Joshua Jackson and it will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival as a gala presentation in September.

A few weeks ago I started working on a film called City of Ember which is a Walden Media and Playtone co-production. Tom Hanks is one of the producers, and it stars Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, and Saoirse Ronan, so I actually go back to London and record at Abbey Road in about a week and a half.

MRH : I guess that's part of the fun - globe-trotting and working with some really great orchestras.

AL : The fun is working with the great musicians, wherever they are. The traveling gets a little tiring from time to time, but to be able to work at a place like Abbey Road is very humbling and a really special experience. We're also really fortunate here in Canada . We have an amazing collection of musicians from all different genres of music and all different cultures so you really don't have to travel far to find great musicians to work with here in Toronto.