HMMA Award Winner for Best TV Show Score (Foreign Language)

Original score from the 2025 drama television series directed by Eduard Cortés, starring Miguel Bernardeau, Marta Etura and Ivan Massagué, produced by Secuoya Studios and released by Movistar Plus (Spain).

THE STORY: Set in the rugged region of Terra Alta in Catalonia, the series follows Melchor Marín, a former delinquent turned police officer haunted by his past and driven by an obsession with justice. As he investigates a brutal crime, his personal history, family life and inner darkness collide in a story of loss, redemption and moral conflict.

THE SCORE: “Terra Alta is a dark and emotionally intense story, and from the very beginning I wanted to portray Melchor Marín through the sound of the cello. His arc is tragic and deeply human, and I felt the cello, especially in its lower register, could bring the melancholy, intimacy and emotional depth the character needed. The cello leitmotif travels throughout the score, constantly evolving with him as the story unfolds. At the same time, there is another essential side to Melchor: his family. They are the emotional counterweight to the darkness surrounding him and represent the light in his life. There are only a few cues devoted to that world, particularly ‘Familia’ and ‘No Quiero Perderte,’ but they are among the emotional pillars of the series. Musically, I wanted the score to move between raw intimacy and psychological tension, blending electronic textures with live instruments to create a sound world that felt both modern and deeply emotional.” – Arturo Cardelús

THE COMPOSER: Arturo Cardelús is a Spanish-American composer based in Los Angeles. A two-time Goya nominee, two-time IFMCA nominee, and three-time HMMA winner, he is known for scores including Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles, Dragonkeeper, Disney’s Descendants, Netflix’s Call Me Francis and Black Beach, as well as the viral animated short In a Heartbeat. His concert work “Con Aire de Tango”, commissioned by the Berlin Philharmonic Soloists, was released by Naxos. Born in Madrid, Spain, Cardelús studied at the Royal Academy of Music and Berklee College of Music.

MMS26653 TERRA ALTA (Original Music from the Series)
Music Composed by ARTURO CARDELÚS
Release date: May 23, 2026