The dawn of the 21st century brought a seismic change for Howard Shore, when New Zealander Peter Jackson invited him to write the music for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, followed a decade later by The Hobbit. The blockbuster films introduced the wonders of Shores writing here applied to storytelling on an epic scale to audiences worldwide. I honestly believe I managed to connect with Tolkiens work and his love of nature, which I also share, says Shore. I wrote that music with my heart.”