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Peter Connelly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the British child, see Killing of Peter Connelly.
Not to be confused with Peter Connolly (disambiguation).
Peter Connelly
Connelly in September 2016
Connelly in September 2016
Background information
GenresOrchestral, electronic, electro-acoustic
Occupation(s)Music composer, sound designer
Instrument(s)Keyboard, piano, guitar, cello
Years active1995–present
LabelsEidos Interactive
Square Enix
Ubisoft
Activision
Electronic Arts
Websitewww.peterconnelly.com

Peter Connelly (born 8 September 1972) is a British video game composer and sound designer, best known for his work on the Tomb Raider series.[1] He has been part of several video game releases working mainly with Core Design, Eutechnyx and Ubisoft.[2]

As part of Core Design in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he composed the soundtracks for Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999) and Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000), and co-composed Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003).[3] Connelly has also contributed to numerous other video game projects, including work on titles such as Driver: San Francisco (2011), Watch Dogs (2014), The Crew (2014), and South Park: The Fractured but Whole (2017) in audio design roles.[4]

Early Life and Education

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Connelly hails from the North East of England and is based in Newcastle upon Tyne.[1] He developed an interest in music from a young age – his family was musical, and his father, who played in a band, introduced him to the songwriting of Burt Bacharach, which Connelly cites as a major early inspiration.[4] During his school years, he learned multiple instruments; he was classically trained on the cello, guitar, and piano.[5]

Connelly went on to pursue formal studies in music technology. He attended Newcastle College and earned an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) followed by a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Music Technology.[4] This combination of classical instrumental training and technical education laid the groundwork for his career in composing and sound design.

Career

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Core Design and Tomb Raider (1998–2003)

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Connelly began his career in the video game industry in the mid-1990s, initially performing both music composition and sound effects duties as was common at the time.[4] In September 1998, he joined Core Design (then a Derby-based studio under Eidos Interactive) as part of the audio team. His first involvement with the Tomb Raider franchise was on Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (1998), for which he provided additional sound design.

He soon took on a larger role as a composer for the series. Connelly composed the score for Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, released in 1999, taking over from the previous composer Nathan McCree and expanding on the musical themes of the earlier games.[3] He continued in this capacity with Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000), for which he wrote the soundtrack and designed audio effects.[3] In these projects, Connelly’s music helped shape a darker and more atmospheric tone for the games, complementing their evolving narrative.

Connelly’s most ambitious Tomb Raider project was Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003). He co-composed the Angel of Darkness score together with Martin Iveson.[3] It was the first time a Tomb Raider game had a full live orchestral score. Connelly later recounted that working with the LSO at Abbey Road was a dream come true and a milestone in his career. Despite Angel of Darkness receiving mixed reviews as a game, its music was widely praised; Connelly noted that the score was “incredibly well received” by fans and remains a memorable aspect of the title.[4]

During his tenure at Core Design, Connelly also contributed music and sound to other games the studio developed. Notably, he scored the fantasy adventure Herdy Gerdy (2002) alongside Martin Iveson, and worked on the audio for the puzzle-action game Smart Bomb (2005) and the freerunning-themed game Free Running (2007). By the time Core Design’s original run of Tomb Raider titles concluded, Connelly had firmly established himself in the industry as a leading composer and sound designer.

Later Projects and Roles (2004–present)

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After the Core Design era, Peter Connelly continued to work on a variety of video game projects across different studios and genres. In the mid-2000s he joined Eutechnyx, a UK-based developer, where he was involved in audio work for several racing and action games. During this period, his credits included sound and music roles on titles such as The Fast and the Furious (2006 video game) and Hot Wheels: Beat That! (2007),[3] among others. Connelly often served as an audio manager or sound designer on these projects, expanding his expertise in interactive sound design.

Around 2008, Connelly took on a senior position at Ubisoft’s Reflections studio (located in Newcastle). At Ubisoft Reflections he worked as Senior Sound Designer on Driver: San Francisco (2011), a revival of the classic driving series.[4] Following the completion of Driver: San Francisco, he was contracted by Ubisoft as an Audio Lead and composer for additional music on high-profile projects. Notably, Connelly contributed to Watch Dogs (2014) and The Crew (2014) – in both cases he was part of the audio team responsible for sound design and implementation, and he provided some musical content such as in-game radio music or jingles.[6] These AAA projects allowed Connelly to apply his skills to large open-world games, further broadening his portfolio. In subsequent years, Connelly continued to work in game audio both as an in-house audio specialist and a contractor. He joined Slightly Mad Studios as a Senior Sound Designer in the mid-2010s,[4] collaborating with composer Stephen Baysted and others on racing titles. Slightly Mad’s projects during his tenure included entries in the Project CARS series and Fast & Furious: Crossroads (2020), where Connelly is credited with special thanks for his audio contributions.[6][7]

By the late 2010s, Connelly also undertook freelance composition and sound work for various game developers. He co-composed the soundtrack for the tactical RPG Blackguards 2 (2015),[6] and provided sound design for Champions of Anteria (2016) and South Park: The Fractured but Whole (2017),[6][7] among other titles. In 2023, Connelly served as Audio Director on Dead Island 2, a major action-horror game, overseeing the game’s overall soundscape.[6] Throughout his post-Core career, he has operated his own audio production company (Peter Connelly Ltd.) and taken on diverse roles from music composition to sound direction, reflecting the evolving nature of game audio development.

Tomb Raider: The Dark Angel Symphony Project

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In addition to his video game credits, Peter Connelly spearheaded a notable musical project in the late 2010s dedicated to his Tomb Raider works. In 2018, he announced a fan-funded initiative called Tomb Raider: The Dark Angel Symphony – a studio album that would reimagine and orchestrally arrange music from the three Core Design Tomb Raider games he scored (1999’s The Last Revelation, 2000’s Chronicles, and 2003’s Angel of Darkness).[1] A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign was launched on 1 October 2018 to finance the production of the album.[1]

Working alongside Peter on The Dark Angel Symphony are, among others, Dr Richard Niles[8] (arranger, conductor); virtuoso cellist Tina Guo,[9] known for her work in Wonder Woman[9] and alongside Hans Zimmer on his live shows; and vocalist Julie Elven[10] whose previous work includes League of Legends[10] and Horizon: Zero Dawn.[10] The album's executive producer and communications lead is Ash Kapriélov, declared "Lara's Biggest Fan" in Retro Gamer (Issue 163) for his dedicated work for the Tomb Raider video game franchise.

Works

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Music and sound design

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Audio director and sound design

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Sound design

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  • Tomb Raider I–III Remastered (2024) (additional sound effects)[6]
  • Driver:*South Park: The Fractured but Whole (2017)[6]
  • San Francisco[2] (2011) (as senior sound designer)
  • PopStar Guitar[12] (2008)

Additional sound design

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Orchestral arrangement

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Album and production

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  • Tomb Raider: The Dark Angel Symphony (2019) (composer and producer)


Awards and Recognition

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Peter Connelly has not yet received major industry awards such as BAFTAs or GANG Awards; however, his work has earned recognition from the gaming community and within the industry. The music he composed for Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness is often singled out for praise – despite the game’s mixed reception, its soundtrack gained a cult following and is remembered as a high point in the series.[4] Connelly’s achievement of integrating a full live orchestra for that score was seen as groundbreaking in 2003, and it solidified his reputation in game music circles.

Within the Tomb Raider fan community, Connelly’s contributions have been celebrated through fan polls and events. The Tomb Raider: The Dark Angel Symphony album, for instance, was voted “Project of the Year” in 2019 by Core Design fan-site users,[13] highlighting how well his reimagined soundtracks were received years after the original games. Connelly is also frequently invited to Tomb Raider-themed fan conventions, podcasts, and interviews, where he is recognised as a key figure in the franchise’s history.

Additionally, Connelly’s broad body of work – spanning action-adventure classics and modern AAA titles – has been noted in retrospectives about video game music. His ability to craft memorable themes and deliver high-quality sound design has been praised by colleagues and reviewers, contributing to the esteem he holds in the field of game audio.

Musical Influences and Style

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Connelly’s musical style is a blend of classical orchestration and contemporary electronic soundscapes. Owing to his classical training, he often employs full orchestral arrangements in his compositions, but he pairs them with modern synthesised elements and ambient textures to suit each project. His scores typically aim to enhance the atmosphere of the game world – from the exotic locales of Tomb Raider to the urban environments of open-world action games – through a mix of melodic themes and immersive background music.

One hallmark of Connelly’s approach is his emphasis on melody and mood. For the Tomb Raider series, he built upon Nathan McCree’s iconic themes while introducing a darker, more cinematic tone. His Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation and Chronicles scores feature somber, suspenseful pieces alongside lush adventure motifs. By the time of Angel of Darkness, Connelly’s music had evolved to include what one reviewer described as “sombre sophistication and exotic, Bond-esque string arrangements,” matching the game’s darker narrative.[14] He selected specific instruments like the oboe, English horn, harp, and flute to represent the character of Lara Croft in Angel of Darkness, giving parts of the score a distinctive timbre.[5]

Connelly has cited a variety of influences on his compositional style. He regards film composers John Williams and Danny Elfman as “exceptional” soundtrack composers who inspired him in his early career.[5] From Williams, he drew an appreciation for sweeping orchestral phrasing, and from Elfman, a flair for blending gothic atmosphere with memorable melodies. Perhaps Connelly’s most personal influence is Burt Bacharach – the pop composer whose songs Connelly was exposed to as a child. Connelly has said that Bacharach’s use of rich 7th and 9th chords and his simple-but-effective chord progressions left a lasting impression on how he writes music.[14] In fact, he notes that some of his non-game compositions, and even the more whimsical tracks in games like Herdy Gerdy, reflect Bacharach’s easy-going yet harmonically layered style.[14]

Beyond those influences, Connelly keeps an ear on contemporary trends. He enjoys electronic music and has admired how modern film composers like Hans Zimmer integrate electronic elements into orchestral scores.[14] This openness to new sounds is evident in Connelly’s later works on games such as Watch Dogs, where cinematic sound design and electronic music intersect. His versatility in style – from orchestral grandeur to catchy electronic beats – has allowed him to adapt to many game genres over the years.

Throughout his career, Peter Connelly’s music and sound design have been characterised by a balance of technical skill and creative musicality. Whether conducting an orchestra for a heroine’s adventure or crafting immersive soundscapes for an open-world city, he approaches each project with a passion for enhancing storytelling through audio. His legacy in video game music, particularly his contributions to Tomb Raider, continues to influence and inspire composers in the industry.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Peter Connelly". WikiRaider. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Peter Connelly Interview". Game Music Online. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  3. ^ a b c d e Pieter Smal (18 July 2016). "20 Years of Music in Tomb Raider Video Games". GameDeveloper. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h J. R. Milward (25 June 2018). "#AOD15 Special: An Interview with Peter Connelly". Survivor Reborn. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Peter Connelly Discusses Tomb Raider Music Composition". Tomb Raider Chronicles. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Peter Connelly – MobyGames Profile". MobyGames. Blue Flame Labs. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Peter Connelly – Credits". MobyGames. Blue Flame Labs. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Dr Richard Niles". Tomb Raider - The Dark Angel Symphony. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  9. ^ a b "Tina Guo". Tomb Raider - The Dark Angel Symphony. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  10. ^ a b c "Credits". julie elven. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Peter Connelly's profile on Game OST". game-ost.com. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  12. ^ "PopStar Guitar Credits10)". squareenixmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  13. ^ "Interview: Peter Connelly (Third Edition)". Core-Design.com. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d "Interview: Peter Connelly". Sputnikmusic. 26 February 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
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Preceded by Tomb Raider composer
1998–2003 		Succeeded by
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