James Boyd Hoare, known professionally as boyd, is an Australian film composer and artist born and raised in Sydney and currently based in Los Angeles. Classically trained at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, his work blends acoustic instrumentation with deep electronic sound.

 

Working closely with Australian and international directors, boyd develops each score through a shared exploration of story, character and the emotional world of the film.

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His recent feature film credits include Luke Morgan’s One Day, Five Years, Jarred Goodman’s BUYBACK and Moutaz Katrob's, Pater Noster. His short film work includes Jasper Martin’s No River Runs Here alongside short films, Under the Trees, Not Nice and most notably,  Expresso, for which he received an Honourable Mention for Best Original Score at the Los Angeles International Short Film Awards.

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Working across composition, performance and production, boyd brings piano, chamber ensembles and orchestral writing together with synthesis and electronic textures. His scores move between intimate instrumental passages and expansive sound worlds, shaped through close collaboration with filmmakers and the particular demands of each story.

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Beyond the screen, his ongoing collaboration with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra explores the relationship between period instruments and contemporary electronic music through new compositions and concert development.

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Along with his artist project releases, boyd brings his original scores live in concert. His audiovisual concert Resonance, presented at the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Pier 2/3 with senior members of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, combined chamber ensemble, live electronics and architectural lighting.

 

His debut album, Rite of Passage, recorded at Studios 301 and released in 2024, explores loss, transformation and renewal across eight interconnected pieces. The album was performed live in concert at Sydney's Conservatorium of music in 2023.