"What If..." Original Music

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

So in our stories, we showcase original music, submitted for "What If..." by a wide range of Nebraska composers. Since 2019 we've used more than 170 pieces of music created by 38 different composers in our award-winning stories and shows!

Submission details:

Nebraska composers of all ages and levels; finished music with no lyrics and at least 30 seconds long; WAV format, 48K, 24 bit stereo; and all styles and multiple submissions are welcome!
Composers of music will not be paid, but will be notified and credited while the piece is being used in a segment, during end credits and on the "What If..." web site.
Composers retain all rights for other uses of their music, and any submitted pieces will only be used in "What If..."
Send your original music (and any questions) to "What If..." producer/host Mike Tobias at mtobias@NebraskaPublicMedia.org.

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

Drone Show - Season 6

“What Happens in Paris” by Backchannel Project
“Initialization” by Jaymeson Pon
“Thermosphere” by Jaymeson Pon
“String Quartet in G Minor” by Winston Schneider
“Rain” by Solus Synthetica
“Revolve” by Gordon Tuomikoski
“Gazing Skyward” by Tim Yeazell
“Gravitational Waves” by Tim Yeazell
“Live and Learn” by Tim Yeazell

INVENTURE Day - Season 6

“Water Dance” by Michael Fitzsimmons
“Background Music” by Eshaan Giri
“Innovation” by Eshaan Giri
“Random Funk” by Conner McConnell
“Conga Groove” by John Carlini
“The Song of a Lifetime” Cameron Fletcher
“The Jolly Frier” by Stephen Tefft
“Let’s Go Outside” by The String Beans
“The Two Who Gave Music” by Thomas Hughes

Buzz Savories - Season 6

"Power of the Flower" by John Carlini
"Frolicking Flutes" by Don Clausen
"Critter Quiz" by The String Beans
"Chicken Pot Pie" by The String Beans
"Home Cookin'" by The String Beans
"Bear Butte" by Michael Murphy
"Diabolical Dances" by Mathew Fuerst

D-Wayne - Season 5, Episode 1

“Cerulean Shadows” by Michael Stephens
“My Neighbors’ Singing Dogs” by John Carlini
“Mysterious Trap” by Alana Triplett
“Untitled Beatboxing” by D-Wayne Taylor (Kreutz mix)

Nerd Creativity - Season 5, Episode 1

"Sparrow Song" by John Carlini
"Dark Dreams" by Lawrence Chatters
"Cascade" by Michael Fitzsimmons
"Flight" by Eshaan Giri
"Era of the Setting Sun" by Thomas Hughes
"That Night" by Thomas Hughes
“Cruzin” by Tatyana Moreira
"Everything" by Solus Synthetica

Fast Forward - Season 5, Episode 2

"Back to Morning" and House of Mirrors" by Daniel Christian
"A Capriccio in G" by Don Clausen
" On the Run Around the Cosmic Serpent’s Rainbow" by Richard Jones
" Symphony in E Major: III: Presto giocoso" by Winston Schneider

Tri Faith - Season 5, Episode 2

“Stars” by Michael Fitzsimmons”
“Electrophobia” by Shawn Bell
“Haiku” by Krista Connelly
“Tristesse” by Sheryl Radke
“Black Elk Sings, mvt 3” by Michael Murphy

Little Church - Season 5, Episode 2

“Toccata in D Minor” by Matthew Haakenson
“River” by Peter Sukstorf
“March of Honor” by Eshaan Giri

MIND Mobile - Season 5, Episode 2

"Speed of Life" by Lawrence Chatters
“The Trees” by Solus Synthetica
“Three Times a Charm” by Conner McConnell
“The Heart’s Home” by Sheryl Radke
"DOH" by Lawrence Chatters

Surgical Robot - Season 5, Episode 1

"Completion" by Nathan Todhunter
“Foxtrot for the Rising Stars of Pleiades” by Richard Jones
“Friends” by John Carlini

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

"Fuga Fogosa" by Matthew Haakenson
"Back to Morning" by Daniel Christian
"Kiss Each Other" by Daniel Christian
"Spotlight" by Daniel Christian

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

"It's Perfect" by Daniel Christian

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

"The Prodigal Son" by Shawn Bell
"The Deep" by Daniel Christian
"Unwanted Tears" by Philip Daniel

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

"Toccata in F Minor" by Matthew Haakenson

Feya Candles - Season 2, Episode 1

"I Remember" by Daniel Christian

Storm Chasing - Season 2, Episode 1

"Wandering Star" by Daniel Christian
"Lula" by William Danze
"I. Variations" by Mathew Fuerst
"Background Music" by Eshaan Giri
"Bass Clarinet Concerto - III" by Matthew Haakenson
"Revelation 7 Reprise" by Stephen Tefft

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

"Crackhead Stadium" by Daniel Christian
"Symphony: II. Scherzo Agitato" by Mathew Fuerst
"String Quartet in E Flat Major" by Winston Schneider

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