In November of 2015, Emmy Award-winning composer Jay Chattaway stepped onto the stage of the famed Royal Albert Hall to conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra performing the most requested composition from the Star Trek music catalog, The Orchestral Suite from The Inner Light. Five thousand people shuffled quietly in their seats, some leaning forward, all eagerly awaiting to take in every note, capture every nuance, of Jay’s beloved melody. It was the premiere of Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage, a celebration of 50 years of the Star Trek franchise. Only this program was not just paying homage to the story-telling and characters, but paid tribute to the great composers who created the music behind it. After sixteen years and hundreds of episodes, the fans were able to witness the maestro and his music in person.
Journey to the Inner Light: The Life and Musical Voyage of Jay Chattaway, Star Trek, Jazz and Film Composer is the biography of a twentieth century American composer. It tells of his rise from humble beginnings in southwestern Pennsylvania to become an accomplished and prolific musician. Journey to the Inner Light celebrates Jay’s successes and, at the same time, reveals the challenges he faces as he moves through over five decades of the ever-changing music industry. For a three-dimensional portrait, Journey to the Inner Light opens a window into Jay’s private life, his experiences and avocations. Growing up along the banks of the Monongahela River, Jay not only discovers he has a talent for music, but that he has a love for the water. His aquatic interest begins when he spends his childhood summers boating on the river with his family and will last throughout his life as he joins the Navy, studies sailing and navigation, and ultimately finds the sailboat that will take him through the Pacific Ocean. It is a tale of two passions; both sailing and music, and Jay seamlessly blends the two in his original compositions. Additionally, Journey to the Inner Light is an exploration into the creative process as Jay attempts to answer the single most-asked question, “Where does the music come from?”