The Winnipeg Jets will have a new theme song for the 2016-2017 National Hockey League (NHL) season, thanks in large part to the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. (WSO)

The WSO has recruited composer Shawn Pierce, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He’s known for working on television shows such as FX’s “The Bridge” and CTV/ABC’S crime drama “Motive.”

As a composer, producer, songwriter and performer, Pierce has worked on over 200 albums, earning a Grammy nomination and 5 Juno awards to go along with 22 nominations.

Pierce grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario and was a Winnipeg Jets fan when he was young. He eventually moved to and lived in Winnipeg for a number of years.

He says he got a call from the orchestra to work on original music for the Winnipeg Jets and he couldn’t contain his excitement.

“I covered the phone and jumped up and down and thrilled at the opportunity to do something like that,” said Pierce. “It’s just something you can’t say no to.”

“It’s a dream to do that in this town and music means so much here. There is a huge history of music and a huge history of hockey,” he continued. “So for me to be able to combine two things which I love and which I’m really passionate about is pretty incredible.”

For Pierce, working on television is much different from this project. It’s a new experience for him, but he’s up for the challenge.

“Working on this scale is new to me, I usually work with images and then write the music to them” he said. “In this particular case I didn’t have that. We all started at the same time.”

WSO Music Director Alexander Mickelthwate says he’s always trying to connect the WSO to the community in Winnipeg and has wanted to partner with the True North Sports and Entertainment and the Jets for a long time.

He explains why they felt Pierce was the person for the job.

“It’s someone with a connection to Winnipeg and someone with international credentials,” said Mickelthwate. “I listened to some of his music and know he can write really emotional music.”

Pierce and Mickelthwate both say he will be there for the first game, when the video is played.

The new soundtrack will be unveiled at the Winnipeg Jets season opener at the MTS Centre on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016.