Sean James Boyer may never become a household name, but it isn’t why he works as a music scorer for television productions. I get the feeling reading about Boyer and listening to his music that he’s a “lifer”, a music fanatic who would be writing for his own pleasure even if he wasn’t involved in the television industry.
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It started young, like it does for most of his ilk. He sang the themes for Superman and Indiana Jones films as he zoomed around the house as a kid and, inspired by his brother, began playing guitar. It led him to later study music theory and jazz guitar during his time in college and he later worked concocting jingles and other material for an ad agency.
He parlayed that opportunity into founding a music production company. Soon thereafter Boyer started scoring television shows, documentaries, films, and other projects. Opportunities beget more opportunities. He’s since then accumulated a long list of credits scoring programming for an assortment of networks and his recent work includes writing the score for Netflix’s 3D animated series My Little Pony: Make Your Mark.
“Sunny Saves the Day” from the series is indicative of his gifts. It’s a fully realized orchestral piece driven by woodwinds, synthesizer, and emphatic percussion. Boyer aspires to manifest storytelling qualities in his music that matches up with the visual imagery and narrative; “Sunny Saves the Day” is an excellent example of that ambition realized. The production for the track is robust and vigorous without ever overwhelming listeners.
I admire, as well, the classical strengths of “Sunny Saves the Day”. It’s a mini symphony of sorts balanced between modern instrumentation such as synthesizer and more traditional fare such as violin and the aforementioned woodwinds. The compositional structure of the track, as well, highlights those influences.
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His theme for the Superchannel sitcom Amelia Parker sparkles with relaxed pop brilliance. It has a melodic vocal at the song’s heart augmented with scattered backing vocals and the accompaniment matches well with the singing. It’s proof of his ability to work in different styles, he’s a bit of a musical chameleon, and never fails to maintain a high standard of excellence. “Dark Horse Dominion” shows another side of his musical character as well.
It hails from his music production album entitled Codename Assassin and conjures an immediate mood. He explores darker hues with this track. It emphasizes dramatics with his usual synthesizer and drumming, but Boyer peppers the arrangement with strong guitar fills. The guitar presence isn’t constant, a shrewd move that makes its appearances in the mix more meaningful.
These three works give listeners a well-rounded appraisal of Sean James Boyer’s talents. I expect he’ll continue working in television and his profile will grow with each new assignment. His instincts for elevating programming with his music are near flawless and the polish he’s achieved with his work places him at the forefront of his field. Listen closely to the television shows you watch, scan the credits, and you’ll likely find him making a difference somewhere.
Heather Savage
