On the day after Christmas, at 8 pm (check local listings) PBS will be premiering a docudrama about a virtually unknown story that forever changed the history of the world. Almost 800 years ago, St. Francis of Assisi defied his superiors, walked into the enemy camp and started a friendship with an Islamic sultan that helped bring an end to the Crusades.

“The Sultan and the Saint”is a new film that tells this unbelievable – and true – story. In a time when religious wars were normal, two men of different faiths defied the expectations of their time, and changed the course of history.

I was thrilled to be asked to compose the music for this docudrama, not only for the opportunity to create dramatic orchestral music, but for the opportunity to be a part of a film that tells a story that seems absolutely perfect for today’s political climate.

To hear a short musical montage from the score, click here