The late Michio Hoshino is known as one of the finest wildlife photographers ever. His career as a professional photographer began in 1986 with the publication of a book entitled, Grizzly. Almost immediately this collection of exceptional images won Hoshino international recognition. His photographs and writings have been published widely in numerous American and international magazines. His tireless enthusiasm for photographing wildlife in wild places, regardless of the season, earned him Japan's highest award for photography in 1990. To learn more about his images, go to www.mindenpictures.com, a stock footage library in the USA. 

 

Kathy Turco has been recording natural sounds in the Arctic since 1985. After receiving a graduate degree in arctic marine biology, she established an audio production company in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1993. The mission of that company, Alaska’s Spirit Speaks: Sound & Science, is to use natural sound recordings as a medium for public education on wildlife ecology and the natural history of Alaska. Turco has worked as writer, voice talent, sound designer, and producer of radio programs aired nationally and web-based audio-visual programs for science education and outreach. Turco’s natural sound recordings have been the centerpiece of a large number of wildlife films, radio documentaries, and museum & visitor center exhibits, as well as sound effects in feature films. To learn more about the work of Kathy Turco, go to www.alaskas-spirit.com. 

 

R. Carlos Nakai is the world's foremost virtuoso performer on the Native American flute. Since 1983, he has released over 35 albums, and has made solo performance appearances throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. His cross-cultural collaborations have included recordings with the Wind Travelin' Band, a Japanese folk ensemble, and a Tibetan flutist. Music produced from this collaboration, the album ISLAND OF BOWS, is the source for much of the program’s soundtrack. To learn more about R. Carlos Nakai, go to www.rcarlosnakai.com. 

 

Pamyua is an Alaskan vocal group founded over 10 years ago by two brothers who dreamed of sharing the ancient stories of their people through music and dance. Now, the a cappella group comprised of 3 men and 1 woman perform traditional Inuit songs blended into a unique audio experience. Their enchanting Inuit harmonies, the sound of the didgeridoo, and the thunderous roll of the African djembe won them Record of the Year at the 2003 Native American Music Awards. Music from their albums VERSES and MENGLUNI contribute significantly to the program soundtrack. To learn more about Pamyua, go to tribalfunk.wordpress.com.

  

A native of Barrow, Alaska, Doreen Simmonds has been a ‘voice’ in her community for many decades through her work as a translator of the Inupiat language of her forbearers. She has been involved in incorporating Inupiat into theatre productions since the early 90’s. She loves working with her native language and especially enjoys speaking with and recording Elders and other Native people along the coast of Alaska.

 

Two Athabascan songs, which are appropriately placed in the “Denali-Interior“ eco-region of the Spirit of the Arctic program, are written and sung by Agnes Moore and Lavern Huntington. The old Gwitch’in song sung by Sarah James is placed in her traditional land of the “North Slope” eco-region in the program. Spanning three generations, these three Native Alaskan women grew up with and continue to practice their strong cultural values and traditions. 

  

Sonus Post Audio is a full-service post audio production facility owned by Downy Karvonen and Jerry Krepakevich. As an accomplished sound recordist, audio designer, and audio engineer/mixer, Karvonen has worked on the soundtracks for productions that have been broadcast in 48 countries around the world. Krepakevich is an independent Production Consultant/Sound Designer-Editor with director, writer, editor, sound editor, mixer, and producer credits on over 140 films, including animation, documentary, and drama. With their combined 60 years of award-winning production experience, Sonus Post Audio specializes in audio post-production of long form documentaries. To learn more about Sonus Post Audio, go to www.sonuspostaudio.com. 

 

Christopher Boyes is arguably the most successful sound designer and mixer at work in America today. Based at Skywalker Ranch in northern California, he has worked on a host of major motion pictures for the past two decades. Boyes has won four Academy Awards® and was nominated in 2007 for an additional two for his work on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. He has worked with directors like James Cameron (Titanic), Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings, King Kong), and Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby). Boyes says he especially enjoys work on natural surround soundtracks. 

 

Roger Topp and GSV develop, write, and produce live-action and animated shots, sequences, and films for museums, aquaria, and independent production companies. Topp brings to projects diverse research and professional experience with scientific measurement, visualization programming, video production, computer animation, and exhibit interpretation. To learn more about the work of Roger Topp, go to www.gsv3d.com.