On the frigid night of February 19th 2010, three adventurers slowly crept forward. Battling the freezing cold and whistling wind, the group persisted on their journey. Snow crunched under their shoes, as they inched closer to their destination. And finally, the imposing structure came into focus. They could see it - the infamous Dracula's Castle, this time located in the heart of Sweden's capital, Stockholm. This night, the vampire's lair took the shape of the local philharmonic. At one with the hostile weather, the building glistened in the moonlight, arousing fear in all those who laid eyes on it. The three vampire slayers glanced around, in a moment of hesitation – only to realize they were not alone. Other brave souls clustered in front of the Castle, ready to face the danger hiding within. This growing number of travelers bolstered their courage, so when the front door opened, the group strode into the big hall…
Read moreMusic has an important role in every entertainment form. It is the tapestry for many successful films, plays and even advertising. It is hard to imagine a good movie without a strong musical background supporting it. Try to watch your favorite movie without sound and see how lifeless it becomes.
Read moreDistant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy had their most recent performance last Saturday and out of the three Final Fantasy concerts I have attended, this one was by far the best. The Chicagoland Pops and the Elmhurst College Concert Choir performed at the Rosemont Theatre under the guidance of conductor and tour producer, Arnie Roth. Susan Calloway provided her superb vocal skills to four moving pieces. Famed video game composer Nobuo Uematsu was also in attendance, and also displayed his musical prowess on stage during the concert's finale.
Read moreFrom the first game music performance to the elaborate globe-spanning concerts of recent years, video game music concerts have come a long way. The current shows are organized with more breadth and scope than ever before. Every concert organizer has an unique artistic vision: his own method of translating video games to a concert hall environment, arranging and re-imagining much-loved tunes, and engaging and pleasing game music fans (a devoted audience that often possesses a deep, lifelong relationship to the material). Unsurprisingly, these approaches vary widely. On the one hand, we have Video Games Live, a stage show which concentrates on interaction with concert attendees. On the other hand, there are classical tours like PLAY! and Distant Worlds, which present a professional, fully orchestral approach to the niche game music genre. In contrast to Video Games Live’s spectacle-based approach, concerts like Thomas Boecker’s 2008 Symphonic Shades focus on creating a deep musical experience, presenting music from video games as a true form of art.
Read moreVideo game music concerts have become a bit of a tradition in Sweden. Stockholm's Konserthuset venue has repeatedly hosted the PLAY! A Video Game Symphony and Distant Worlds - Music from Fantasy concerts, has witnessed the recording of the orchestral Distant Worlds CD, and has welcomed game music celebrities like Nobuo Uematsu, Akira Yamaoka, and Chris Huelsbeck.
Read morePLAY! A Video Game Symphony had its beginnings in the USA, in 2006. This international concert tour was created on the initiative of Thomas Boecker and Jason Paul – two producers well-known in the game music world. Inspired by Japanese game music tours such as the “Tour de Japon - Music from Final Fantasy” and “VOICES - Music from Final Fantasy” concerts, Boecker and Paul had previously organized similar shows of their own. But when the pair joined forces, they sought to create the biggest show yet. PLAY! A Video Game Symphony took shape as a global symphonic concert tour, promoting a variety of game music worldwide.
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