Peter Boyer's Symphony No. 1 was commissioned by the Pasadena Symphony, and premiered by that orchestra under his direction in April 2013. The three-movement, 24-minute symphony is dedicated to the memory of Leonard Bernstein. This is the first movement, "Prelude."

The symphony is the centerpiece of a new recording of Boyer's music by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by the composer at historic Abbey Road Studio One in 2013. Released worldwide by Naxos in its American Classics Series in February 2014, the recording also includes four other Boyer orchestral works. It has been broadcast on over 150 radio stations around the U.S. and abroad.

"Boyer, who claims more than 300 performances by more than 100 orchestras, writes in a fluent, powerful style that fuses conservative American currents with Hollywood-ish size and populist sentiment... eloquent, spaciously recorded performances…"
-- Gramophone

"Like all of the music on this disc, the symphony is tuneful, expertly crafted, colorfully scored… Boyer knows what he wants, and how to do it. This very well engineered disc is lots of fun, and a really good listen."
-- ClassicsToday.com

"The performances here are simply superb, showing off [Boyer's] engaging and easily accessible cinematic style. This is certainly a recording that should have broad appeal, and one which you will likely find yourself returning to time and again. The music is brilliantly orchestrated with engaging thematic ideas and a fine sense of dramatic shape."
-- Cinemusical

"Classical music listeners apprehensive about 'new music' have nothing to fear, and everything to love, about Peter Boyer. The American composer writes music in a neo-romantic style with an unabashedly direct and popular appeal… His Symphony No. 1, a tribute to his muse Leonard Bernstein, is a stirring work, filled with soaring, 'American sounding' themes and propulsive rhythms… a recording that’s sure to win him many new fans."
-- WRTI (Philadelphia), New Releases

To purchase on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/boyer-symphony-no.-1/id804059505

Music © 2013 Propulsive Music. Recording © 2014 Naxos Rights US, Inc. Used with permission.

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Symphony No. 1 - Movement I: Prelude – London Philharmonic Orchestra/Peter Boyer, conductor

The works of GRAMMY®-nominated composer Peter Boyer have received over 400 public performances by nearly 150 orchestras, and thousands of broadcasts on classical radio stations around the U.S. and abroad. He has conducted recordings of his music with three of the world's finest orchestras: the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. His works have appeared on the Naxos American Classics, BSO Classics, Koch International Classics, Albany Records, FWSO Live, and Propulsive Music labels.

Conductor Keith Lockhart chose Boyer for the Boston Pops’ 125th anniversary commission honoring the legacy of John, Robert, and Ted Kennedy. The premiere of Boyer’s "Kennedy Brothers" in 2010, narrated by Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Ed Harris, was attended by members of the Kennedy family, and received extensive national media attention. The Boston Pops also performed the work on their Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular for an audience of over 750,000; gave it two separate telecasts; performed it at Tanglewood with narrator Alec Baldwin; and released its recording.

Boyer’s major work "Ellis Island: The Dream of America" has received over 160 live performances by 70 different orchestras, making it one of the most-performed American orchestral works of the last decade. His recording on the Naxos label was nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition.

In addition to his work for the concert hall, Boyer is active in the film and television music industry. He has contributed orchestrations to more than 30 film scores by top Hollywood composers, including "Finding Dory" and "Skyfall" (composer Thomas Newman), "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" (composer James Newton Howard), "The Amazing Spider-Man" (composer James Horner), "Jurassic World," "Inside Out," the Oscar-winning "Up," "Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible III," "John Carter," "Super 8," "Cars 2" (composer Michael Giacchino), "Dolphin Tale" (composer Mark Isham) and "Arthur Christmas" (composer Harry Gregson-Williams). Boyer has twice arranged music for the Academy Awards, and composed music for The History Channel; his music has appeared in the AETN Production Music Library, several short films, and various television programs.

In recent seasons, Boyer has served as Composer-in-Residence of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (2010-11) and the Pasadena Symphony (2012-13). He holds the Helen M. Smith Chair in Music at Claremont Graduate University.  His latest commercial recording, featuring his Symphony No. 1 and other works with the LPO, was released worldwide by Naxos in 2014.


Symphony No. 1 - Movement I: Prelude – London Philharmonic Orchestra/Peter Boyer, conductor

Peter Boyer – Composer