Blake Neely scores the HBO documentary David McCullough: Painting with Words

Next month, HBO will air the epic mini-series, John Adams, based on the bestselling novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough. HBO will follow up the miniseries later this year with a new documentary about the acclaimed author: David McCullough: Painting with Words. Directed by Mark Herzog and produced by Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Mark Herzog and Chris Cowen, the documentary features new music composed by Emmy-nominated composer Blake Neely.

Blake Neely conducts the strings for his score to David McCullough: Painting with Words

Neely conducted his intimate Americana score for the documentary at the Conway Studios with a small ensemble: Randy Kerber on piano, Chris Bleth on woodwinds, and 16 of the best string players from the Hollywood Studio Symphony.

Concertmaster Endre Grenat

Blake Neely conducts the Hollywood Studio Symphony strings

Chris Bleth plays woodwinds on the score

There are 25-minutes of score, and it was all recorded in one day, with scoring mixer Jim Hill handling the engineering duties.

Front: Scoring mixer Jim Hill and director Mark Herzog. Rear: Editor John Campbell, and producer Chris Cowen with his wife

David McCullough: Painting with Words will air on HBO later this year.