"What If..." Original Music

A project about creativity and innovation should feature original music by Nebraska composers!

These songs were used in these What If... segments, listed with the composer who created the piece.

No More Empty Pots – Season 4, Episode 1

  • "Juliana" by Daniel Christian
  • "Shnookums" by Don Clausen
  • "Grocery Shopping with Tomita" by John Carlini
  • "Joydance" by Michael Fitzsimmons

Making Macarons – Season 4, Episode 1

  • "Get Twerking Daddy" by John Carlini
  • "Fire Dancers" by Michael Fitzsimmons

Good Living Camp – Season 4, Episode 1

  • "Salt Creek Tiger Beetle Quintet 1st Movement" by Winston Schneider
  • “Cruzin” by Tatyana Moreira
  • “Hard at Work” by Conner McConnell
  • "Dolmure” by Chris Wheeler

Ranch Technology – Season 4, Episode 1

Trick Shots cold open – Season 4, Episode 2

  • "Journey Through Lost Time" by Thomas Hughes

American Outlaws – Season 4, Episode 2

  • “Lost in Panama” by William Danze
  • “Emotional Value” by Visual Aura
  • “Mbira” by Michael Fitzsimmons
  • “The Lies Between Us” by Visual Aura
  • “Duke Flute” by John Carlini
  • “Diamante” by Byron Jensen

Opendorse – Season 4, Episode 2

  • “All Dressed Up with No Place to Go” by Stephen Tefft
  • “Was That the Door” by John Carlini
  • "Better Now" by Philip Daniel

SheMate – Season 4, Episode 2

  • "Serendipity" by Sheryl Radke
  • "A Winter’s Moon" by Jonathan Jaworski, performed by UNK Symphonic Band

Whiteclay Makerspace – Season 4, Episode 2

  • “Black Elk Sings, second movement” by Michael Murphy
  • “Ponca Corn Comes Home” by Michael Murphy
  • “Phoenix” by Michael Murphy
  • “Hope for Peace” by Michael Murphy
  • “Foxtrot for the Rising Stars of Pleiades” by Richard Jones

Wyatt's Bomb Squad - Season 4 digital extra

Season 3, Episode 1 theme music

  • “Swashbuckling Revelation” by Thomas Hughes

Offutt Lab - Season 3, Episode 1

  • “The Raven” by Billy Tefft 
  • “Al Lado Del Mar” by Eshaan Giri
  • “Unfold” by Philip Daniel
  • “Prayer” by Stephen Tefft

Fungus Creations - Season 3, Episode 1

  • “Nocturne” by Matthew Haakenson
  • “The Factory” by Conner McConnell
  • “Genesis” by Conner McConnell
  • “Keeper” by John Carlini

Retail Aware - Season 3, Episode 1

Grain Weevil - Season 3, Episode 1

  • “Ra” by Eshaan Giri
  • “Afterthought” by Krista Connelly, performed by Louis Raymond-Kolker, steel pans
  • “Finally” by John Carlini
  • “That Evening” by Thomas Hughes

Experimental Music - Season 2, Episode 1

Feya Candles - Season 2, Episode 1

Storm Chasing - Season 2, Episode 1

Raising Shrimp - Season 2, Episode 2

  • "'Surrender' from 'Two Poems'" by Krista Connelly, feat. Adam Pelandini (saxophone) and Aaron Hirsch (piano)
  • "The Pasture" by Eshaan Giri
  • "Happy Morning" by Conner McConnell
  • "Mischief" by Conner McConnell

Root Research - Season 2, Episode 2

Upstream Farms - Season 2, Episode 2

  • "Eclipse" by Jonathan Jaworski, performed by the Univ of Nebraska at Kearney Wind Ensemble
  • "Random Funk" by Conner McConnell
  • "Salamanca" by Dmitrii Shaposhnikov
  • "Shadow Man" by Simon Tefft
  • "Homecoming" by Nathan Todhunter

On the Go Gelato - Season 2, Episode 2

Dog Braces - Season 2, Episode 3

  • "For Her" by Philip Daniel feat. Shawn Williams
  • "Sprightly" by Eshaan Giri
  • "Three Times a Charm" by Conner McConnell
  • "Mom's Heart" by Dmitrii Shaposhnikov
  • "Over All of This" by Rob Temple

Homestead Painting Restoration - Season 2, Episode 3

Spidercam - Season 2, Episode 3

Mullen Remote Education - Season 2, Episode 3

  • "III. Nocturne" by Mathew Fuerst
  • "Olympus" by Eshaan Giri
  • "Overcoming" by Dmitrii Shaposhnikov
  • "Lonely" by Simon Tefft
  • "The Jolly Friar" by Stephen Tefft

Do Space - Season 2, Episode 4

Bike Union - Season 2, Episode 4

  • "Dandelion" by Daniel Christian
  • "All Dressed Up With No Place to Go" by Stephen Tefft
  • "Discovery" by Nathan Todhunter

Highlander - Season 2, Episode 4

  • “Crossing Paths” by Peter Sukstorf
  • “Crusin Around for the 80s Sound” by Jaymeson Pon
  • “Music of the City” by Conner McConnell
  • “To Build a Bond So Strong” by Josh Spaulding
  • “Homage” by Shawn Bell
  • “Innovation” by Eshaan Giri

Ord Economic Development - Season 1, Episode 1

UNO Biomechanics - Season 1, Episode 1

  • “Happiness & Celebration” by Dmitri Shaposhnikov
  • “Juniper” by Philip Daniel, feat. Shawn Williams
  • “Bruisin' the Bricks” by Daniel Christian
  • "Pursuit of Happiness" by Conner McConnell
  • "Sunday Comics" by Peter Sukstorf

Winston - Season 1, Episode 1

Church Renovation - Season 1, Episode 1

UNMC's iEXCEL - Season 1, Episode 2

  • “The Tiny Sailboat” by Conner McConnell
  • “Shards of Light” by Josh Spaulding
  • “Progress” by Nathan Todhunter

Quantified Ag - Season 1, Episode 2

Growing Great Beginnings - Season 1, Episode 2

Flywheel Workplace Culture - Season 1, Episode 2

Listen to a special episode of The Verge featuring music by our What If... composers!

Dmitrii Shaposhnikov sits before three tiered keyboards, singing and playing
Dmitrii Shaposhnikov (Artist Provided)
Daniel Christian, dressed in white shirt with black tie and vest, sleeves rolled up, plays a guitar standing up while singing
Daniel Christian (Liliedahl Imaging)
Meredith Ollerich poses with trumpet on a bench outside in bright sunshine, wearing long, sleeveless black dress
Meredith Ollerich (Swinarski Photography)