Symphonic Landscapes

Stephen Lias is primarily active as a composer who draws inspiration from adventure and the outdoors. As a logical extension of this, he has served as Artist-in-Residence at, among others, Rocky Mountain, Denali, Glacier, and Gates of the Arctic National Parks. In planning performances of his nature-inspired orchestral works, it was a natural progression to begin incorporating synchronized visual imagery that “brings the audience along” on musical adventures. In early 2026, his newest music-and-visuals composition will be premiered by the Auburn Symphony in celebration of Mount Rainier’s 125th anniversary.

In 2016, the Fairbanks Symphony suggested that he might extend this practice to Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite, presenting a rare opportunity for Lias to work with archivists in the National Park Service to provide a visual “accompaniment” to Grofé’s magnificent work. The resulting visuals, programmed by symphonies across the country, closely follow the “plot” provided by Ferde Grofé in his original program notes.