MUSIC
CREDITS
Spirits of Summerland was developed and published by Summerlander Games in 2023.
About the Game:
A 3D cozy game where you find yourself roaming the Summerlands, for an unknown reason. Exploring to find out what is happening and what is making all the spirits drawn to the Summerlands.
As a wandering spirit, you must take up the task of becoming a temporary grim reaper and help other wandering spirits from remaining trapped in the Summerland. Travel across the many areas each spirit roams and discover the cause of the disturbance, and aid in their transition to the other side.
The Spirits of Summerland Original Soundtrack includes 11 tracks and has a thematic focus around two dominant themes, which can be heard interweaved through different orchestral and folk music arrangements.
Play the game at the Spirits of Summerland homepage.
Image art by Neshma Mendez.
BIOGRAPHY
Symphony Forge Studios was developed in 2024 by Shad Manning, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and orchestrator. Shad has previously worked on video game projects such as Spirits of Summerland, produced by Summerlander Games, as well as short videos such as Dinner Fight, produced by DCSager Productions. Shad began writing music in 2008, where he first began writing solo and chamber music for himself and fellow students. Shad went on to study music theory and orchestration, and has released five studio albums before founding Symphony Forge Studios.
Shad's compositional palette includes traditional orchestral styles ranging from Baroque/Renaissance to Post-Romantic and 2oth Century tonality. Shad is also a student of ethnomusicology, having an extensive interest in traditional world-music characteristics where he applies instrumentations and tonal elements into his orchestrations.
Shad has a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Iowa Wesleyan University (2014) and a Bachelor of Science in Audio Production from Full Sail University. Shad creates music similar to that of composers of film and game, such as Joe Hisaishi, John Powell, Borislav Slavov, Michael Hoenig, and Jeremy Soule, as well as traditional music from around the world.