Composer Peter Boyer's SYMPHONY NO. 1 is a Nationwide Broadcast Hit

All five works from Boyer's Symphony No. 1 in broadcast extensively nationwide, spanning more than 120 radio stations. End Quote

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease) October 24, 2014 - Naxos' release of Grammy-nominated composer/conductor Peter Boyer's Symphony No. 1 is a nationwide broadcast hit, with all five works on the release receiving airplay spanning 120 radio stations nationwide. Boyer's critically acclaimed Symphony No. 1 was released by Naxos in February. The recording, featuring the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) under Boyer's direction, also includes four additional works by the composer: Silver Fanfare, Festivities, Celebration Overture and Three Olympians. Boyer's previous release on Naxos, the critically acclaimed Ellis Island: The Dream of America, received a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Contemporary Composition in 2006. Symphony No. 1 is being submitted for Grammy consideration. Boyer's orchestral music is being performed nationwide. See below for upcoming dates and locations.

"The five works included on this recording represent a cross-section of my orchestral music composed over a period of some 15 years, from one of my earliest commissions to my most recent," said Boyer. "It was a thrilling experience to conduct my music with the superb London Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, and it's deeply gratifying to have Naxos release this recording worldwide."

Boyer's 24-minute, three-movement Symphony No. 1, the centerpiece of his LPO recording, was commissioned by the Pasadena Symphony, and premiered by them under his baton in April 2013. The work contains music both deeply lyrical and rhythmically driving, and concludes with a powerful sense of affirmation. Boyer's musical language draws inspiration from such iconic American composers as Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and John Williams, and these Influences can be heard in the symphony. Boyer dedicated the score of his symphony to the memory of Leonard Bernstein, and this dedication was accepted by Bernstein's children.

MORE ABOUT THE ALBUM
Of the four additional works on the Naxos recording, three are short, exuberant pieces written for celebratory occasions, which demonstrate Boyer's gifts for composing propulsive, colorful music for large orchestras. Silver Fanfare was composed as the first movement of the six-movement work On Music's Wings, commissioned by the Pacific Symphony and its music director Carl St. Clair in celebration of its 25th anniversary in 2004. Festivities, here given its world-premiere recording, was commissioned and premiered by conductor Gerard Schwarz and the Eastern Music Festival, in celebration of its 50th anniversary In 2011. Celebration Overture was one of Boyer's earliest commissions, composed in 1997 at the age of 27, for the inaugural season of the Henry Mancini Institute. Reflecting the composer's interest in mythology, Three Olympians for string orchestra was commissioned by the Conductors Institute at Bard College in 2000. Each of its movements was inspired by a Greek god of Olympus: Apollo, Aphrodite, and Ares.

Recorded at London's historic Abbey Road Studio One, the Naxos recording was produced by Tim Handley, winner of the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Classical (2005). The recording engineer was Abbey Road's Jonathan Allen, whose many credits include the recent film musical Les Misérables.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Grammy-nominated Peter Boyer is one of the most frequently performed American orchestral composers of his generation, with over 300 public performances of his works by more than 100 orchestras, and numerous national and international broadcasts. His many commissions include the Boston Pops' 2010 tribute to the Kennedy brothers, which was narrated by distinguished actors including Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and Alec Baldwin, and conducted by Keith Lockhart.

Boyer is also active in the film music industry as an orchestrator, and has contributed orchestrations to more than 20 major film scores by top Hollywood composers such as Thomas Newman, James Horner, Michael Giacchino, Alan Menken and Mark Isham. Boyer has composed music for The History Channel, and arranged music for the Academy Awards telecasts. He was engaged as the assistant/cover conductor for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Live to Projected Film, with score by Howard Shore, in performances with the Melbourne Symphony.

Boyer's first recording for Naxos, Ellis Island: The Dream of America, features the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by the composer at London's AIR Studios, and a cast of high-profile actors including Olympia Dukakis, Eli Wallach, and Bebe Neuwirth, recorded In New York. Released in 2005, it received a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Boyer's Ellis Island has received over 150 live performances by more than 60 orchestras since its 2002 premiere. Boyer has taught since 1996 at Claremont Graduate University, where he holds the Helen M. Smith Chair in Music.

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Recognized today as one of the finest orchestras on the international stage, the London Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1932 by Sir Thomas Beecham. Since then, its principal conductors have included Sir Adrian Boult, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti, Klaus Tennstedt and Kurt Masur. In 2007 Vladimir Jurowski became the orchestra's principal conductor and in 2008 Yannlck Nezet-Seguln was appointed principal guest conductor.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra has been performing at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall since It opened in 1951, becoming the resident orchestra In 1992. Each summer it plays for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, where it has been resident symphony orchestra for 50 years. The Orchestra broadcasts regularly on television and radio, and has recorded soundtracks for numerous blockbuster films including The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It has made many distinguished recordings over the last eight decades, and in 2005 began releasing live, studio and archive recordings on its own CD label.

Upcoming Live Performances of Boyer's Works Recorded on Naxos American Classics

Sunday, November 9th, 2014
Ellis Island: The Dream of America
Binghamton Philharmonic
Binghamton University, New York

Sunday, November 16th, 2014
Symphony No. 1
Texas Medical Center Orchestra
Cullen Theater, Wortham Center, Houston

Friday, January 16th, 2015
Ellis Island: The Dream of America
Erie Chamber Orchestra
Cathedral Prep Auditorium, Erie, Pennsylvania

Sunday, March 28th, 2015
Ellis Island: The Dream of America
Oklahoma City Philharmonic
Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015
Symphony No. 1
Laredo Philharmonic
Texas A&M Intl. University Recital Hall, Laredo, Texas

Saturday, May 3rd, 2015
Ellis Island: The Dream of America
Rio Hondo Symphony
Whittier High School, Whittier, California

###

space

Other Related Press Releases