“Music is central to filmmaking,” Burns told WFMT. Rather than squeezing the music in after the film has been edited and reached a near-final form, they incorporate the soundtrack early on in the editing process.

Celebrating indigenous North American artists creating incredible works in the fields of classical, folk, and even experimental music.

LaRob and Kristina get curious about indigenous instruments and are joined by Australian Aboriginal composer and didgeridooist William Barton who melds classical sounds with the music he learned from his elders.

“The more I studied music, the more I saw the similarities between weaving and what I do.”

Meet seven Indigenous American musicians spanning genres (hip hop, punk, rock) and states (Illinois, California, Arizona).

Perhaps the next time you hear a waltz, you’ll think Mexico City instead of Vienna.

“But for some reason, people are surprised to learn that American Indians compose ‘classical’ music.”