Caldera Records proudly presents Peter Salem’s score for the 1996 film Alive & Kicking.

Partly because of his HIV infection, dancer Tonio is afraid of committing himself to a new relationship. At the same time, he refuses to let the virus define him. It’s a delicate balancing act, one that finds its allegory in the film’s extended dance sequences, a dream for any composer.

It is an astonishing feat of a score, particularly considering that it was written by a composer who, at the time, was inexperienced in writing for the big screen. The film’s high point is the challenged performance of a challenging ballet. It is also the high point of Salem’s score, a British composer most famous for his celebrated ballet works. The piece is a ravishing melody orchestrated for medium-sized ensemble that invokes the spirit of Michael Nyman, Michael Torke and, at times, Rachel Portman, while always staying uniquely captivating.

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