ABOUT
Johnny Parry is a composer, songwriter, arranger, and producer whose work spans the intimate and the cinematic, delicacy and grandeur. From experimental and pop songwriting to vast orchestral works, his music is deeply personal yet epic in scope, combing raw emotion with intricate composition. He has arranged and produced for countless recording artists, and has also composed for film, theatre, and interdisciplinary art projects, bringing a distinctive voice to visual storytelling.
Johnny’s first album, Break Your Little Heart (2004), created in Toronto Canada it established his signature style, blending haunting classical-inspired melodies with indie pop storytelling. In the darker, more brooding Songs Without A Purpose (2007) he experimented with orchestral composition for the first time, contrasting his low, growling vocals against operatic soprano, strings and brass. In this period, he also began incorporating specially-commissioned synchronized films into immersive live concerts. His next release, Little Prayers 1-8 (2008), distilled grand orchestration into something more intimate.
His next album, More Love & Death (2009) saw the birth of the Johnny Parry Chamber Orchestra. Formed for a monumental performance at the album’s launch at the Union Chapel, the 30 piece orchestra has since performed across the UK and Europe. In 2012, he revisited the material from this album, reshaping it into Fields & Birds & Things (2013), a transformation that blurred the line between reinterpretation and an entirely new creation.
In 2014, Johnny founded the Bedford Arts Choir, a community choir of 60 singers, and embarked on composing An Anthology of All Things, commissioned by Bedford Creative Arts. Weaving together personal stories from thousands of members of the public, the piece explored themes of love, death and the everyday. Performed by the Johnny Parry Chamber Orchestra and Bedford Arts Choir, it received high praise, with Monocle calling it:
“The most beautiful piece of music you will hear all year.”
The Guardian listed An Anthology of All Things among its Top 10 Classical Albums of the Year, and it was brought to life again in 2017 by the 240-piece Bremen Symphony Orchestra and Choir in Germany.
Collaboration & Film Work
.As a sought-after arranger and producer, Johnny brings depth and sensitivity to projects across multiple disciplines. His studio, Wolfy Studios, has become a creative hub for artists seeking to push musical boundaries. Working with multiple songwriters, bands and artists from organic acoustic arrangements and recordings to experimental electronica.
His work in film scoring includes composing for Oreet Ashery’s Revisiting Genesis (2017), which won the prestigious Jarman Award in 2017. His compositions have also featured in Family Action’s Monsters campaign (2019), celebrating the charity’s 150th anniversary. Spearheaded by Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, the campaign used Johnny’s score to highlight the emotional struggles of families in crisis. He has also repeatedly collaborated with internationally renowned artist Andy Holden, creating music for multimedia installations and performance art projects.
Johnny’s current projects include the Glass Graduate Symphony, a joint composition with David M. Allen (producer of the The Cure, Depeche Mode, Neneh Cherry). The symphony is a bold, four-movement work inspired by Marcel Proust, blending vintage synths, drum machines, and symphonic classical orchestration. The work is currently being mixed by Dave Lynch (The Magic Numbers, Billy Bragg, Natalie Imbruglia)
Critical Acclaim
“A great advert for the power of music to unite, entertain and communicate… an utter triumph.” — Listen With Monger
“Complex, cinematic music that builds intricate landscapes of sound… Compelling… Intoxicating… an unusual delight.” — MOJO
“Johnny Parry vaults his way from being just another singer-songwriter to something more akin to the UK’s equivalent of Sufjan Stevens.” — The Independent
“What he pulled off last night was a logistical and musical miracle.” ★★★★★ — The Arts Desk
“Absolutely Dazzling.” — Clash Magazine
“A richly rewarding listening experience, an incredible achievement of such complexity and planning… In short. Divine.” — God is in the TV
“More Love & Death is genius, one that builds off trauma and bad choices, blending moody echoes of his heroes into brutally honest art.” — Music Emissions
“For once that most ill-fitting cliché ‘widescreen’ might just be appropriate.” — Word Magazine