Byron James Atterton Music

Byron James Atterton is a composer, pianist, and recent graduate of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), where he earned dual BAs in Music and Political Science in June 2026.

Byron began piano lessons at age five and later took up the cello before concentrating on piano performance and composition. He developed his skills under the guidance of Dr. Mitzi Kolar (Professor Emerita, San Diego State University), completing the full Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) Certificate of Merit with repeated Branch and State Honors.

At UCI, Byron studied piano with Professor Nina Scolnik and discovered a profound passion for composition. He has since refined his craft through intensive professional training and high-profile projects. In August 2024, he was selected from hundreds of applicants for the Screen Music Program in Pavia, Italy, studying with composers from major Netflix productions including The Queen’s Gambit, One Piece, and The Witcher. That same summer he made his international performing debut at the Emmanuel Levinas Centre in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Under the guidance of Professor Geoffrey Pope, recent highlights include composing original music for a live-to-picture performance of excerpts from the 1922 silent film Nosferatu performed by the UCI Symphony during their 2025 Fall Express Concert. In May 2026, Byron had his string orchestra piece Perpetual Angelus performed and professionally recorded by Budapest Scoring. He also gained industry experience as the first-ever music intern at AV Squad in Los Angeles (Summer 2025), composing original scores and cues for film trailers.

Byron has taught piano at Yamaha Music Center (2024–2026) and is currently teaching at Leading Note Studios.  

He continues to build his portfolio with an eye toward a career in film, concert, and media composition.