Media Alert

Limited Edition CD and Digital Download Available October 2nd

Los Angeles, CA - September 25, 2012 - Bulgarian-born composer Penka Kouneva ( Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Midnight Movie) releases an original instrumental album entitled " A Warrior's Odyssey ", on October 2nd. Kouneva's musical "odyssey" is inspired by the traditions of Hollywood film music and contemporary video games but with a conceptual narrative rather than visuals. Featuring 18 thematic original compositions recorded with A-list Hollywood musicians, " A Warrior's Odyssey" will be available as a Limited Edition CD through Howlin' Wolf Records and for digital download on Amazon MP3, iTunes and other digital music sites. Preview samples from the album are available here.

" A Warrior's Odyssey" reflects Penka Kouneva's journey as a rising composer in Hollywood. In 1990 Penka ventured out of post-communist Bulgaria with $150 in her pocket and a Duke University Graduate fellowship. At Duke she studied with noted concert composers Stephen Jaffe and Scott Lindroth, and in 1997 Penka made history at the university by receiving the first-ever Doctorate in Composition. In 1999 she came to Hollywood with one keyboard and Mac Performa. A decade later, she has built a distinguished career, working in a creative and leadership capacity on blockbuster films and games.

" A Warrior's Odyssey draws upon the formative influences of my style: contemporary Hollywood film, and video game scores," says Penka. "I am building stylistically upon the amazing opportunities Steve Jablonsky gave me with the games Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Gears of War 3."

The structure of the album follows the form of classical symphonies, where the turbulent and energetic first movement is followed by a contemplative slow movement providing a period of respite and reflection. 

Track Listing:

1. Waiting for Dawn to Break 

The Battle Begins 

2. Storming the City Heights 

3. Mission Fail 1 

4. A Soldier's Odyssey 

Part 1: At a Soldier's Grave / Part 2: Engaging the Enemy 

5. A Soldier's Odyssey 

Epilogue: Flowers at a Monument 

6. Sniper Attack 

7. Confrontation from a Lo-Fi Dimension 

Faraway Lands, Ancient Times 

8. Forgotten Steeples 

9. Chase Through Crete 

10. Between Eden and Distant Fields 

11. Minotaur Battle 

The Battle Must Go On 

12. Fading Fortitude / The Battle Must Go On 

13. Farewell to the Pilot 

14. Pilot Bombardier and Dogfights 

15. The Wanderer 

16. Broken Watch 

17. Mission Fail 2 and Requiem 

18. Airplane Bound for the Skies.  

An award-winning composer for film, television and video games, Penka Kouneva has scored 12 independent features ( Midnight Movie), 4 television films ( Ice Spiders) and several episodic TV shows ( Forensic Files, Modern Marvels). In the world of video games she has composed music for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (alongside Steve Jablonsky) and orchestrated on Gears of War 2&3, The Sims 3, Transformers, World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Dragon Age II, The Lord of the Rings: War In The North. Penka is also widely recognized for her talent as Lead Orchestrator on films such as Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Tim Burton's  9,  Sherlock Holmes,  Angels and Demons, and the hit TV shows True Blood (HBO) and Revenge (ABC).

Penka Kouneva resides in Los Angeles and is represented by The Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency. 

For more information visit: www.penkakouneva.com.