Interview: Composer Zain Effendi Demands Respect for Theme Park Music With His Test Track Score

As the industry recognizes musical accomplishments from all corners of the pop culture landscape, at least one glaring omission remains: theme park music. It’s an essential part of the experience on any great immersive ride, but the most effective tunes often go unnoticed. Rising composer Zain Effendi set out to alter the course for theme park music with his 70-minute score for Disney’s Test Track at EPCOT.

“I’ve been collecting and admiring film scores since I was a kid,” says Effendi. “But lately, I find it harder to discover new ones that truly move me. I think part of that comes down to how technology and tighter production schedules have affected the craft. With Test Track, I wanted to bring back a sense of depth and intentionality – something that feels carefully composed, not just produced.”

Indeed, Effendi’s innovative work for the longstanding ride is more of a concept album than a traditional theme song, blending sweeping orchestral scoring with futuristic electronic textures, a natural extension of Effendi’s background as both a DJ and a classically trained composer. The result is a timeless musical palette rooted in both the technology of our present and the Americana roots of our past.

“I wanted to capture both the technical, metropolitan side of America and its emotional, rural heart. The score draws inspiration from the great American composers like Copland and Bernstein, whose music evokes wide open spaces and optimism. My hope is that listeners feel that same sense of freedom and possibility, like taking a long drive through the countryside in a classic Chevy pickup truck.”

Of course, Test Track was first designed in collaboration with Chevrolet, and the General Motors subsidiary has co-branded the thrilling attraction ever since. With so many different stakeholders invested in Effendi’s unique assignment, he was tasked with staying true to existing brand guidelines, while still ushering in a new sonic era for Test Track and its fans. Rather than succumb to such pressure, Effendi took the opportunity to push the envelope further and further, with the help and encouragement of both his corporate and creative partners.

“It became this huge musical journey that weaves together multiple genres: cinematic orchestral passages, unexpected EDM drops, even sections of progressive rock,” he says. “It’s a bit of a wild experiment, but it came together in a way that feels cohesive and alive.”

Check out our full conversation with Effendi below!

Test Track features a 70-minute original score, one of the longest continuous compositions in Disney Parks history. How did you maintain emotional pacing and narrative coherence across such a long runtime?

I spent a lot of time at the Disney parks, studying everything from the exterior and queue music to the ride soundtracks themselves. I paid attention to which attractions kept me completely immersed in their worlds and tried to understand why. By the time I sat down to write, the musical language of Disney attractions felt second nature. Of course, I also had a few producers keeping me in check, making sure I stayed within the creative vision, but that collaboration ultimately made the music stronger.  Ultimately, I relied on my years of experience working with symphonic orchestras and symphonic music, which is long, complex and very emotional.

This isn’t just a theme park soundtrack, it’s more like a concept album. How do you hope this project redefines what theme park music can be?

My hope is that this album challenges expectations, not just for theme park music but for soundtracks in general. I’ve been collecting and admiring film scores since I was a kid, but lately, I find it harder to discover new ones that truly move me. I think part of that comes down to how technology and tighter production schedules have affected the craft. With Test Track, I wanted to bring back a sense of depth and intentionality – something that feels carefully composed, not just produced.

How did your background as a classically trained composer as well as a DJ inform your ability to blend different musical textures?

My background as a DJ was crucial; it gave me an instinct for rhythm, texture, and sound design. I surrounded myself with my favorite synths, dove deep into granular synthesis, and experimented endlessly with manipulating orchestral sounds. Disney needed the score to still sound current in ten years from now – futuristic, but still familiar. My classical training was even more essential. Writing for EPCOT meant leaning into strong thematic writing and variation, crafting melodies that could evolve and weave through a large-scale symphonic suite.  I spent decades studying storytelling and that was the ultimately key to creating this album.

Few branded experiences receive this level of musical artistry. How did you strike the balance between artistic integrity and brand alignment, especially given GM’s century-long legacy?

Disney and General Motors both came to the table with ideas and references, but they also gave me space to explore and bring my own perspective. You’re right that most branded experiences don’t get this kind of musical attention. Disney made sure no corners were cut: we hired top-tier musicians, engineers, and orchestrators, and you can absolutely hear the difference. That commitment to quality is what allowed the score to sound both artistically rich and perfectly on-brand.

In a world where IP dominates, how important was it to you to create something from the ground up?

It was incredibly important, and honestly, a bit daunting. There were moments when I felt the pressure of living up to some of the greatest music ever written for Disney Parks. During those times, I leaned on friends and family who reminded me to step back and recognize what I had created. Their encouragement helped me trust my instincts and push forward. The response has been overwhelming, from fans, colleagues, and even the amazing musicians who brought the score to life.

Recorded in Nashville with a full orchestra, this score has a timeless Americana feel. Was that a deliberate nod to EPCOT’s legacy or GM’s cultural roots?

Absolutely. I wanted to capture both the technical, metropolitan side of America and its emotional, rural heart. The score draws inspiration from the great American composers like Copland and Bernstein, whose music evokes wide open spaces and optimism. My hope is that listeners feel that same sense of freedom and possibility, like taking a long drive through the countryside in a classic Chevy pickup truck.

The music plays from the outdoor marquee through the ride experience. How did you build musical themes that evolve over time but feel unified?

Disney asked for a 24-minute continuous piece to play on loop outside the attraction, which sounds intimidating, but it actually turned out to be the easiest part. They gave me the most creative freedom on that piece, so I let my imagination run wild. It became this huge musical journey that weaves together multiple genres: cinematic orchestral passages, unexpected EDM drops, even sections of progressive rock. It’s a bit of a wild experiment, but it came together in a way that feels cohesive and alive.

Looking forward, would you like to see original theme park compositions treated with the same cultural and critical weight as film and television scores?

Definitely, and not just for theme parks, but for commercial music in general. I grew up surrounded by incredible scores, especially in the 1990s, and I think we’ve lost some of that magic in recent years. Technology has advanced, but great music still comes down to the same timeless elements: a strong idea, a memorable theme, and an inspired performance.  The important thing for me was to disconnect from tech and just sit at the piano and  immerse myself in the themes.  At the end of the day, it’s about storytelling. That’s the heartbeat of all great art.