Throughout the course of his life, composer Morten Lauridsen has received a number of awards for his music from across the nation. He will receive one more award that hits close to heart and home, the Friday Harbor Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

“I admire what the film festival has done, highlighting unique films and filmmakers,” Lauridsen said. “I am delighted and honored. They have been championing [me and this film] from the go, so this is very special and means a lot to me.”

Lauridsen has always had a passion for music but it was firefighting that gave him some clarity about making it a career path. After high school, Lauridsen joined a group of 22 “hot shot” fire fighters that were sent right a way as a first line of defense when wildfires sprouted up. “It was hard and dangerous work,” he said. Through his involvement with the hot shots, a vacancy came to his attention for a fire look out position. The job lasted for 10 weeks. During that time he was alone except when delivered food and supplies. The rest of the time it was him, the trees and wildlife on top of a mountain.

“All that solitude gives you the opportunity for deep introspection,” said Lauridsen. “I made a very important decision.”

He realized that he missed music a whole lot, and while he did not want to be a performer, he did want a career path in music. When he returned to college, Whitman, he took every music classes he good, and then transferred to USC.

“I wanted to be in a place where music was happening all the time,” Lauridsen explained. There was a catch. He had only one semester in beginning composition and USC required much more than that. He was granted admission with conditions, “to see if you can cut the mustard,” he was told. Lauridsen believed in himself, and persevered, saying “I just had to catch up to the others who where so far ahead of me.”

Not only did he graduate, but became a professor there for 50 years. He was named American Choral master in 2006, by the National Endowment of the Arts, and in 2007 he was awarded the National Medal of the Arts “for his composition of radiant choral works combining musical beauty, power, and spiritual depth.”

Lauridsen’s compositions have an ethereal quality, and he has been called a mystic on numerous occasions.

“The music is able to take a lot of people to a different realm. It transports them. So, I think this is where the idea of a mystic persists,” Lauridsen reflected.

Poetry has greatly influenced his music. Lauridsen noted “I have such great respect for poets, I always started class with poetry.”

Waldron Island also played a roll in his musical career. He connected with Waldron as a child. His aunt and uncle bought property on Waldren during the 50s, and he said was a sanctuary for him through an abusive childhood. “I really bonded with the people there, there were only 11. I think. living there at the time.”

His aunt and uncle eventually sold the property, Lauridsen tried to buy property there for years. A realtor told him that a place called “Crumb’s Castle” was for sale. He remembered the building.

Ray Crumb homesteaded the property, and the castle once served as a general store and post office. It was called a castle due to the unique roofline. He passed away in 1952, according to Lauridsen, and the castle stood empty for decades. He scraped the money together to buy the waterfront property and proceeded to fixed it up.

One of the first items Lauridsen barged over was a little spinner piano. With out a phone or even electricity, the castle became a place for him to once again go deep within himself without interruptions. There, he played and created music to the lapping of waves outside.

A couple of filmmakers , Michael Stillwater and his wife, contacted him to interview him for a documentary, “The Great Song,” which examined the meaning of song. People from all walks of life were interviewed, each answering the questions what song means to them. Lauridsen was the only composer. Once they met with him and filmed the interview, they decided to put the movie on hold and film “The Shining Night,” focusing on Lauridsen, island composer. They filmed on Waldron, but not before Lauridsen explained that they needed to be very low key, not wanted to disturb his island neighbors.

“It is a unique film,” Lauridsen says of Shining Night. “It follows a guy who creates music that goes all over the world. I have gotten many emails, including from the wonderful people of Waldron, who were touched by the film.”

The documentary has been described as conveying the richness and breadth of the award-winning composer’s life. The soundtrack features some of his masterworks like Lux Aeterna, O Magnum Mysterium, Nocturnes (Sa Nuit D’Ete, Soneto de la Noche, and Sure On This Shining Night), Dirait-on and Madrigali.

Since opening in early 2012, the film has won four Best Documentary awards at US Film Festivals, and is now being screened throughout the world.

When asked if there was anything else he wanted to add, Lauridsen responded “It’s a great honor to be recognized by the Film Festival for my achievements, many of which have deep roots in the San Juans.”

He will be presented with the award during the opening Gala Oct. 25.