From the overture to the final curtain call, KUED (Salt Lake City) takes you across Southern Utahís breathtaking western landscapes ñ all set to music by the worldís greatest composers. This enchanting musical journey showcases the Utahís natural wonders with a grand sweep of the Four Corners area, plus segments of the Anasazi, outdoor recreation, and cowboys. DESERT SERENADE is produced by KUEDís Jeff Elstad with cinematography by John Howe.

"I hope viewers will appreciate DESERT SERENADE on a poetic level," says Elstad, who created the program as his first effort as a producer, "Americaís desert southwest is a region that I love. I hope Iíve captured the essence of the people and the place."

DESERT SERENADE is divided into six segments, each unique in its own right. The film opens with "Canyon Country," a regional overview set to Mahlerís Fifth symphony. Elstad says he chose the Adagietto because of its "moody, melodic development in long evocative strains that worked well against aerials and time lapse photography."

Desert mountain biking, hang gliding, back country hiking, and white water rafting are featured in "Wild Things," a segment highlighting the excitement of outdoor recreation with an upbeat work from Dvorak.

"Wranglers" proves that the cowboy experience can be reflected in music by Schubert. "Itís amazing to me that the Schubert piece is Viennese in nature and origin, but sounds like the American West ñ it worked well.with cowboys," Elstad says.

"Vanished" quietly explores the story of the Anasazi people. Visiting haunting ruins of cave dwellings of a vanished civilization, the segment is set yo Bachís melancholy Air on the G string that evokes the mysteries of the Anasazi people.

DESERT SERENADE also includes a segment on rodeo, set to Palestrinaís Stabat Mater. Elstad slowed down the video to provide another prospective on the sport. "I wanted people to be able to see the brutal reality of riding a bull or a bronco. Things happen so quickly at a rodeo that you really canít see what these guys go through," he says.

The program primarily features John Howeís breathtaking footage from previous KUED projects over a five-year period, though it also includes new clips taken specifically for DESERT SERENADE.