Biography
Golden Globe-nominated composer Brian Byrne moved to Los Angeles from Ireland in July 2003 to expand his career as a film and television composer. Since then, he has consistently worked as a composer, conductor, producer, arranger, and pianist in the US and in Europe and has twenty-four film and television scores to his credit.
Brian is a two-time World Soundtrack Awards and a Satellite Award winner for his music to the song “Lay Your Head Down” lyrics by Glenn Close and score for the Academy Award-nominated movie “Albert Nobbs.” The song also earned him his Golden Globe nomination. He received his third World Soundtrack Award nomination for Best Original Song “True Love Avenue” lyrics by Kasey Jones in 2016 for the film “Jenny’s Wedding.” Brian is a three-time Irish Film and Television Award winner for his scores to the Irish Sci-Fi comedy “Zonad,” “Albert Nobbs,” and “The Secret Scripture.”
Brian’s American conducting debut came in 2004 at Carnegie Hall with Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan. Subsequently, he was commissioned to write all the arrangements and conduct the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for the release of Ronan Tynan’s first solo album. In 2012, he released a critically classical album for Decca called “Tales From the Walled City,” also with the RTE Orchestra. Even though living in the United States, Brian conducts and arranges many Pops Concerts and TV shows for many international orchestras including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the BBC Ulster Orchestra and The Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He was the Artist in Residence with the RTE Concert Orchestra in Ireland from 2012-2018.
Brian has collaborated with international luminaries such as Katy Perry, Bono, Pink, Sarah McLachlan, Lisa Stansfield, Julian Lennon, Van Morrison, The Corrs, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Luis Miguel, Vince Gill, Gladys Knight and has composed and conducted original songs for Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban, Alanis Morissette, Kelly Clarkson, Sinead O’ Connor and Kurt Elling. He also conducts many scoring sessions in Hollywood for such projects as the Academy Award-winning animation film “Piper” for Disney Pixar, “Modern Love 1 &2” for Amazon, and most recently, “Ireland” featuring Liam Nessan for IMAX.
Recently, Brian has composed (additional music) and orchestrated for several notable projects, including:
"Hotel Transylvania 4" for Sony Studios
"The Croods 2" for Dreamworks Studios
"Ratchet and Clank" Video Game for Sony PS5 "Vacation Friends" for Disney/Hulu
Currently, he is busy composing, producing, and arranging the music for the Celtic Woman 20th Anniversary for PBS Television.
Brian was educated at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and graduated in 1997 with first- class honors. He attended the Berklee College touring faculty in Scotland and received their Outstanding Musicianship Award, as well as winning the PRS Sir Arthur Bliss Prize Scholarship for composition that enabled him to study film composition at London’s Royal College of Music.
Brian is married to writer Kasey Jones. They have two small children and divide their time between Los Angeles, Oklahoma and Ireland.
