Our music director
Ryan Holladay

In the same way the printed words in a storybook are embellished and brought to life through visual illustration, the words of the storytellers on Meditative Story are imbued with vibrant color through music and sound design. With a sonic palette ranging from lush string orchestration to modular synthesis and ambient soundscapes, Ryan Holladay and the Holladay Brothers have created a signature, immersive musical sound.

Notice the evolving tones that precede the very first words you hear, preparing you for the story … or how a flurry of harps is swallowed by a cascade of choral voices before melting into binaural tones to focus your mind during one of the show’s guided meditation prompts. A description of the sleeping quarters on a cargo ship might be accompanied by bellowing horns and meandering woodwinds, while in another episode, the vibrating hum of an analog drone might set the stage for a long train ride through Japan.

And as a story reaches its end, a kaleidoscopic reprisal of the episode’s melodic themes elevates the listener and crescendos into a resolving wash that gently returns you to reality. Words and music are two parts of a duet that transport the listener and immerse them in the world of Meditative Story.