As a self-taught composer, Strahan has scored music for over thirty films documentaries. He scored music for Robert Raymond’s “Wheels Across Australia” produced for TCN9, for Robert Raymond’s 13-part wild life series “Shell’s Australia” produced for ATN7, and screened widely overseas; for Densey Clyne’s “Aliens Among Us” & “Garden Jungle”. In 1984 he scored music for Film Australia’s award-winning series “Artisans of Australia”. Earlier, during 1969/70 he wrote words & music for a weekly TV spot on the Channel 7 Breakfast Show, providing and performing with guitar (& sometimes harmonica) a topical song every Monday morning before the 7.00am news.
From 1980, he increased his output of works for concert performance, and has written over twenty works of concert music encompassing solo, ensemble, vocal and orchestral pieces. Much of his film and concert music has been released on the Australian Jade and Revolve labels, and, since 1982, has been consistently broadcast on national radio. Strahan's music is melodic, making use of polyphony and polymetrics.
He has attracted performance by distinguished artists. Mezzo-soprano Lauris Elms AM OBE commissioned Strahan's song cycle "Rose of the Bay", premiering the work at the Sydney Opera House in 1987, and recording it for the ABC and for CD release. Two works written for cellist Georg Pederson - "China Spring" and Solo Cello Suite No. 1 - have also been recorded by the ABC, and have been released on CD, as have the following twio works. In 1989 the Berky Trio (Albin Berky, Julia Fekete-Berky, Roland Peelman) commissioned “Escorts” for saxophone, flute and piano, which also recently featured in an all-Australian recital in Sydney by Jason Xanthoudakis (September, 2004).
Piano Trio No. 1 in F was written for the 1988 Bicentennial celebrations and was premiered on Australia Day 1988 at a champagne breakfast in Sydney's Centrepoint Tower. In 1990 Michael Scott commissioned the flute and piano work "Atlantis" which develops material for Strahan's "Atlantis" opera project. This was premiered by Mr. Scott’s student Belinda Gough at her Master’s Degree Recital at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 1992. This performance was recorded and is released on CD. “Atlantis” was also chosen for Master Degree recitals at the Elder Conservatorium (2001) and at the Newcastle Conservatorium (2005).
Michael Scott also commissioned music & libretto for “Eden In Atlantis”, a 25-minute Scena for soprano, flute and piano, premiered in 1996 at the Joan Sutherland Room, Opera Centre, by Liza Rintel, Michael Scott and David Miller AM., and has been released on CD. In 1995 the Canberra School of Music (CSM) commissioned "Voodoo Fire" for clarinet, percussion and synthesiser for performance in April 1996 by Alan Vivian, Michael Askill and Susan Powell. In 2000 the (now named) Australian National university (ANU) School of Music also commissioned Clarinet Concerto No. 1 which was premiered in April 2002 by Alan Vivian with the CSM Symphony Orchestra.
Both works have been released on CD. Also premiered at the ANU School of Music in 2009 was “Space Trilogy” for trumpet & piano commissioned for performance by Alexander Ross at his Honours Graduation Recital with associate artist Anthony Smith, piano.